Tears
by Jhdesigner22
Summary: **Sequel to Life's New Journey** Rushing into the hospital, my eyes frantically search the waiting area for my mother. I spot her sitting about twenty feet away with her head in her hands as they rest on her knees, her body shaking slightly. I sprint over to her and sit down, taking her into my arms. - Will they come together through the pain and anguish, and make it out whole?
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, as promised, here is the first chapter is the third and final installment of the Maura's Confession Trilogy. I'm very excited for you all to read this, It's been circling around in my head since a little after I started Life** ' **s New Journey, so I'm happy that we're finally here. This one will be a bit different, but not too much, from the way I've done the previous two stories. I hope you all still stick with me.**

 **I don't own these character,** **obviously, I'm just having a bit of fun borrowing them. All rights belong to TNT and blah blah blah.**

 **As always, have fun and ENJOY!**

* * *

 **Beacon Hill 9:50 pm - April**

Beacon Hill is a nice place. People mostly keep to themselves. The surrounding area is well kept and beautiful. All in all it is a good place to live, and raise a family. In one particular house all is quiet, or mostly quiet that is. The kids are away with their grandparents, giving a much needed evening alone to the parents currently occupying said house.

* * *

"Oh Luke, god, don't stop!" Emily screams as I continue to make sweet love to her.

"I wouldn't dream of it baby." I husk out as I carry us both over that amazing edge of pure bliss.

I collapse on top of my wife, before moving to the side, sliding out of her. She winces slightly, and I mentally chastise myself for not waiting first, before I feel her cuddle up into my side. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her head.

"Oh Lucas, that was amazing, thank you baby." Em says, still somewhat breathless. I smile at her words before responding.

"You don't have to thank me for making love to you baby, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I'm glad your mom took the kids. We really needed this." I say lovingly to her.

"I'm glad she did too. I really needed some alone time with my sweet man." She says playfully, leaning up to nip at my lips.

"Oh baby, I'm not sweet, I'm masculine and ferocious!" I playfully growl right back. I can feel myself getting hard again, ready to take my wife once more. The harsh ring of the house phone startles us apart however.

"Just leave it." Em says, bringing my face back to hers for a passionate kiss. The phone stops ringing, allowing me to fully concentrate on the task at hand. Luck is not on my side though because next my cellphone starts ringing. Emily growls, and I give her an apologetic look before hopping off the bed to retrieve my phone from my pants pocket on the floor. When I see my mother's smiling face up on my screen I begin to worry, wondering why she's calling twice in a row, especially this late at night.

"Mom?" I answer. The sound of my mother's voice on the other end causes me to start panicking.

"Lucas, honey, I need you to come to the hospital right away. Your Ma has been in an accident." She says, and she sounds utterly broken, ready to burst into sobs at any moment.

"What happened? And what hospital are you at?" I ask at the same time as I throw on my boxers and pants, looking around for my shirt.

"I'm at Mass General, please hurry honey, I'll tell you more when you get here." She says to me.

"Okay we're on our way." I tell her before hanging up. I look at Emily, who is giving me an extremely worried look. "What's going on?" She asks, following my lead and gathering her clothes.

"Ma's been in an accident, mom didn't say anything else. We need to get to Mass Gen as soon as possible. Can you call your mother and have her get the kids ready? We can grab them on the way." I ask her, throwing my shoes on before heading to the dresser to grab my keys.

"Yea, I'll call her on the way." Em says, throwing on her last shoe. Quickly we head out of the house and to the car, before speeding off towards our kids and then the hospital.

* * *

Rushing into the hospital, my eyes frantically search the waiting area for my mother. I spot her sitting about twenty feet away with her head in her hands as they rest on her knees, her body shaking slightly. I sprint over to her and sit down, taking her into my arms.

"Hey mom, talk to me." I say, pulling her tighter against me. She looks up at me, tears streaming down her face, with red puffy eyes.

"Oh Luke!" She cries before burying her face in my chest. I wrap her tighter into my embrace, hoping to provide comfort somehow. I can feel her sobbing into my chest, but I don't mind the tear stains. Seeing her in this type of distress is eating me up inside.

The sound of little feet hitting the ground cause me to look up. "Gramma!" My daughter, Sophia Maura Rizzoli-Isles, calls as she comes running up to us, her mom chasing close behind.

"Gramma, why are you crying?" Sophie asks her grandma.

Mom lifts her head to look at her oldest grandchild. Sophie climbs into her arms as she opens them, inviting her in. Sophie immediately curls up to her, most likely sensing her need for comfort.

"How is she mom?" I ask, extremely concerned for my mother. She looks up at me with a fresh set of tears leaking down her face. "Not good Luke. She has a subdural hematoma, both her left arm and leg are broken, and she's been in surgery for the past two hours. Her heart stopped twice on the way to the hospital-" Her voice catches in her throat as her head drops. She clings tighter to Sophie while she tries to regain some composure.

I have tears of my own running down my face when I feel a hand come to rest on my shoulder, causing me to jump. I look up and instantly relax when I see my beautiful wife Emily standing before me, holding our six month old son Liam Jay.

"Mommy, gramma's crying." Sophie says once she spots her mother, but continues to cling to my mother. She looks back to Maura with a sad expression. "Where's Nona?" she asks, and by the look on my mothers face, it was the wrong this for her to say.

"Nona's in a hospital bed Soph, she's not feeling very well." I say to her, not really knowing what to tell her about her Nona. Sophie looks at me sadly before turning back to her grandma again. "Is Nona gonna be okay?" She asks, clinging to her shirt.

"I don't know baby." Is all mom says. She looks defeated and heart broken, and for once she doesn't really have an answer.

"Mom!" I suddenly hear being yelled from the entrance of the hospital. I look over and see my sister Bella running towards us, her golden blonde hair whipping behind her as she runs.

Once she gets closer, I notice tear stains on her face, her makeup slightly smudged. Mom stands up with Sophie in her arms as Bella nears, and opens her right arm for a hug. Bella wraps them both up, holding so tight as if her life depended on it. I stand up and wrap my arms around all three of them, feeling the need to comfort my girls.

"Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles?" A voice calls, breaking us out of our moment. Mom's head snaps towards the voice, which belongs to a doctor, before she hands Sophie back to me. She walks over to the doctor, putting on her best front, bringing out her Dr. Isles persona.

"Yes, how is she doctor?

"Your wife is out of surgery and has stabilized. They were able to release the pressure in her brain and bring the swelling down. We've managed to cast her broken appendages, and suture the deeper cuts. She's been put into a medically induced coma so her body can heal, but you should be good to visit her. I ask that you limit it to two people at a time though." The doctor says with a sad tone to his voice.

"Thank you doctor." Mom says, and she appears to be processing his words. He smiles and walks away, leaving mom standing where she is. She slowly turns around to face us, before making her way closer, her arms folded protectively around herself.

"Can we go see her now?" I ask her, feeling slightly better that she's not crying at the moment. It has to be a good sign right? She would definitely be in tears if ma was getting worse.

"Yes we can go two at a time." She says, looking at me with a sad smile. I nod my head at her and make my way back over to Emily. She's sitting down next to Bella and both of them have deep looks of concern on their faces. I hand Sophie off to Bella and give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Ma's stable and we can go see her now, but the doctor said only two at a time. I'm gonna take mom in there for a minute and then I'll be back. Is that okay Bella?" I ask my sister. She nods her head at me and wipes a few tears off of her face.

"Yea that's fine. I'll stay here with Em and the kids." She says to me with a small smile. I nod my head in conformation before leaning down to kiss Emily on the lips softly. I next lean down to give Liam a kiss on his forehead.

I head back over to mom and wrap my arms around her shoulders and begin to lead her towards my ma's room.

"So what exactly happened mom?" I ask as we make our way down the hall. I still haven't been told what happened to her. Hot tears are running down her face again, and she hangs her head in shame. We come to a stop outside ma's room, and I look down at my mother, rather confused by her sudden behavior. I gently put my hand under her chin and lift her head to look at me.

"What happened mom?" I ask again, quietly this time. She stays silent for a few seconds longer before wiping her tears away.

"We got into a fight and she stormed off. I got a call about an hour later from the officers who finally found my contact info. I was told she was t-boned going through the intersection. A drunk driver had run the red light, hitting her car directly on her door." At hearing this I immediately take her in my arms and hold her as she cries.

"It's okay mom. You know she's a fighter, she'll pull through." I say comfortingly. I rub her back slightly as she clings to me. We stay like this for a few minutes while mom calms down. She pulls away and nods her head at me, indicating that she's okay and wants to go into the room.

Slowly, I open the door and peer inside. My heart breaks at the sight before me. I hear mom gasp behind me and then burst into tears, rushing over to ma's side. She gingerly lifts ma's uninjured hand and clasps it in her own before bringing it up to her lips for a kiss.

"Jane, honey I'm here. I'm so sorry baby." She says sadly to her wife, even though ma is unconscious and can't hear her. I make my way over to the other side of ma's bed and look down at her. She's lying in the hospital bed, cast, bandaged and bruised. She has her head wrapped, a strip across her nose and bandages over several cuts on her face, the ones that needed stitches. Both limbs are in casts, her leg hanging from a support system at the foot of the bed, and from what little we can see she's bruised all over. This just causes my mother to burst into a fresh set of tears.

"Lucas, she looks so broken." She sobs to me. I feel so helpless in this situation. Normally ma is her rock when times get tough, but now I have to step up and fill that spot. I just don't know if I can handle it.

"I know mom, but she's tough, she'll pull through just like she always does." I say weakly, not knowing what else to say. I want so badly to believe my own words, but the way ma looks lying there is making me doubt them somewhat. Growing up ma was in and out of the hospital a few times, it just came with her job, and I understood that, but never in all my years have I seen her look this broken and weak. The sight makes me want to fall to my knees and sob, but I can't, because I have to be strong for my mother and the rest of the family. I'm the rock now until ma wakes up.

"I feel like this is all my fault." Mom says weakly, looking down at ma. "We fought over something so small and trivial, neither of us wanting to cave first, and look where that got us. I may never hear her sweet voice again, I may never see those deep brown eyes that I love so much, and all over a petty argument about her leaving her clothes on the floor." She cries, and I set a comforting hand over top hers.

"After more than thirty years of marriage I should have known better than to argue with her about the clothes. She's left them out countless times before and I just dealt with it. So why did I have to pick now after all the years to make a fuss about it? I should have left well enough alone, because if I had, she would be just fine instead of in this hospital bed, her life hanging in the balance."

"You can't think like that mom, this is not your fault. You and ma have had tons of fights, you had no way of knowing that she was going to get into an accident when she left the house. If you want to put blame on someone, blame the damn drunk driver who hit her. If he hadn't been drinking and driving she would be fine right now. Please don't beat yourself up about this. I know it's hard but we have to remain optimistic for her, so she can get better and come back to us." I say, attempting to comfort her. I hate seeing her in pain like this.

"Have you heard from Simon lately? I tried calling him but I couldn't get through. He needs to know that his ma is in the hospital." Mom says suddenly, causing me to look at her in shock. I honestly hadn't thought about my younger brother this whole time.

"Uh, I talked to him last week, he seemed fine. Let me step out and give him a call, see if I can get through." I say to her, wanting so badly to take all of her pain away. I walk over to her and give her a small kiss on the forehead before stepping out into the hall to call my brother. It rings about four times before Simon picks up.

"Hey bro, what's happening?" He asks exuberantly.

"Simon, where are you?" I ask, cutting right to the chase.

"Nice to hear from you too bro, geez. I'm down at the Robber with Mia. Why, what's up?" He asks, sounding a little annoyed by my direct tone.

"Good, you're in town. You need to get down to Mass Gen right now, ma's been in a car accident and it's not looking good. You should have answered your phone when mom called, she's worried sick and she needs her kids." I say a little clipped, not wanting to deal with his shit at the moment.

In every family you have that one kid who strays, gets into trouble and falls out with their parents, and Simon is that kid in our family. Now granted he's not as bad compared to others, being raised by a doctor and a cop, but he still strayed.

His and mom's relationship has been rather strained for the last five or so years. They got into an argument over Simon and his schooling, something that he has outright refused to do. Being raised by a doctor, Simon is rather smart, just like Bell and I, and in mom's eyes his decision to forgo college and travel with his girlfriend Mia is a waste of his potential to do great things, something that I agree wholeheartedly with. And because of her dislike for his decision she had cut him off from his access to the Rizzoli-Isles fortune he had been given upon his graduation from High School. To say Simon had been pissed was an understatement.

He had immediately packed his bags and left the house, heading to Mia's. Mom had been furious, but ma talked her down from calling the cops, reporting him missing, stating that first, she _was_ the cops, and second, that they just needed to give him time to cool off. He had eventually cooled off, thousands of miles away in Argentina with is girlfriend, after stealing money from mom to get there, and still held a grudge against her and refused to speak to her. Ma had to then inevitably become the middle woman between her wife and youngest son.

Bella and I had both tried to talk some sense into him, but he refused our advice, his reasoning being that mom already had two perfect children; Me being a successful, rising lawyer, and Bella, a medical student fast on her way to becoming a Medical Doctor just like our mother. In his mind he needn't become a molded mind to please his mother, he wanted to live his own life and make his own decisions. And he did just that, for five whole years, far away from us all. He's only recently come back to Boston, and I've seen him a few times here and there, but we're aren't close like we used to be growing up. I feel the worst for Bella, they used to be inseparable.

"Oh shit, what happened?" Simon asks, suddenly turning serious.

"She was t-boned by a drunk driver and now she's in a coma. How soon can you be here?" I ask, not wanting to have this conversation over the phone.

"We can be there in twenty minutes." He says, and its now that I can hear sounds of movement and other voices in the background.

"I think it would be best if you didn't bring Mia. Mom really needs us right now." I say and wait for him to start complaining.

"Yea, you're probably right. I'll drop her off on the way." He says, completely shocking me.

"Uh, okay good. Drive safe and I'll see you when you get here." I say before handing up. I stare at my phone, baffled. I hadn't expected that phone call to go as well as it had. Maybe in light of his ma being severely injured, Simon has decided to set his petty grudge aside and be a man. I really hope that's the case.

I put my phone back in my pocket and head back into the room, seeing my mother holding tightly to my ma's hand, gazing at her lovingly, stroking her hair softly with her free hand. I know she knows I'm here, but she keeps her gaze on ma, not breaking her concentration. After watching my mothers for several minutes I decide to let Bella have her turn.

"I'm going to go get Bella and send her in." I say to mom, kissing her on the forehead as she nods her head, before heading out. As I make my way back to the waiting room Bella runs up to me and wraps her arms around me once I get to the waiting room.

"How is she?" She asks me, cheeks stained with tear tracks. I reach up and wipe a fallen tear from her cheek before answering.

"She's stable, but still unconscious. She looks so small and broken, I almost couldn't look. I know she would hate us seeing her like this. God it's not fair!" I yell out and pull away from Bella, finally letting some of my emotions show. Bella rests her hand on my shoulder, which calms me down and gets me to look at her again.

"How's mom?" She asks me, and she sounds scared. She knows how lost our mother gets without ma, they complete each other. Neither of them is whole without the other, and we all know that.

"She's about as good as you would expect, crying and holding on to ma. I can tell she's trying to be tough for us but she's not doing a very good job." I say to her and give her a sad look.

"What about Simon?" She asks hesitantly.

"I talked to him just a minute ago and he said he was on his way. He should be here within the next fifteen minutes or so. You should go see ma and mom, her room number is 309." I say as I lean down to pick up Sophie who has just made her way over to me.

"Okay." Bella says, giving us both a hug before heading off to see our mothers.

I head back over to my wife and son, sitting down next to them and leaning my head against Emily's shoulder. She rests her head against mine and brings her hand up to caress my cheek lovingly.

"How are you holding up baby?" She asks me sweetly, and I shrug.

"I don't really know. I'm trying to be strong for mom and Bell, but that's proving to be rather hard. She just looks so broken and I don't know what to make of it. She was always so strong and protective growing up, and those are hard shoes to fill. I can't be that rock for mom like she was and it's killing me." I tell her, and let out a small sob after I finish talking, unable to hold it in any longer.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Sophie asks, confused as to why I'm crying. She's never seen me cry before so I can imagine it's confusing for her.

I straighten up and wipe my face before looking at her little one. She looks just like my mother did when she was a little girl, honey blonde hair and slight freckles, but she has my dark eyes.

"I'm fine baby, just a little sad about nona, but I'll be okay." I say, attempting to assure my little girl.

"Is nona gonna be okay?" Sophie asks me in a sad voice, instantly breaking my heart. I internally chastise myself for allowing my daughter to see me break down like this. I'm supposed to be strong but I'm doing a terrible job at it.

Not knowing what to tell Sophie I look to my wife for guidance. She gives me a knowing look before turning to our daughter.

"Honey, nona doesn't feel good right now. She got hurt, that's why she's here. She needs us to be strong for her though okay? She needs us to help her get better." Emily says softly to Sophie. Liam starts stirring in her arms before he lets out a little wail.

"I'm just going to go feed him in the nursery. Call me if anything changes." Em says, standing and taking our crying son away to go feed him in private.

"Daddy." Sophie says, grabbing my attention. I pull her tighter into my chest, wanting to feel her warmth for comfort.

"I'm here baby." I say to her and immediately feel her relax in my arms. Several minutes go by when I see the automatic doors open and my brother walks into the hospital, and sadly not alone. Mia is following closely behind him. He spots me quickly, heading over to where Sophie and I are sitting. He sees my disappointed look and gives me one of understanding in return.

"I know, I know. She wound't get out of the car." He says annoyed. I stand up to greet him, setting Sophie down before awkwardly shaking his hand.

"How is she?" He asks, his tone full of concern. Him and ma were always close, so I know this is rough for him.

"She's still out. Mom and Bell are with her now."

"What happened?" He asks.

"She was t-boned by a drunk driver. She has a subdural hematoma, her left arm and leg are broken, and several cuts and bruises on her face. They have her in a medically induced coma for now so her brain can heal." I tell him, trying not to get emotional again. He looks at me with sad eyes, and for a moment I see the little boy he used to be, innocent and full of life. I really don't know what happened to turn him into the bitter young man standing before me now.

"Do we know if she's going to be okay?" He asks next. I feel Sophie cling tighter to my leg as she stands next to me. I smile down at her and caress her head momentarily before looking back up to Simon.

"It's still up in the air. We have no way of knowing." I tell him sadly. He pauses and looks at me with a worried expression. The next words that come out of his mouth somewhat shock me.

"And how's mom?" He asks hesitantly in a soft voice. I look at him in shock before answering.

"Uh, she's as good as can be expected. I think she's trying to be tough for us but its proving to be really hard. She blames herself too." I say, and when he looks at me confused I elaborate.

"They got into a fight, that's why ma left the house. Mom blames herself because if they hadn't fought, then she wouldn't have left and gotten hit." I say, feeling sympathy for my mother. I can see how she would blame herself, but we need to help her realize that its not her fault.

"Simon?" I hear my mother suddenly call from behind me. I turn around and see her standing a few feet away, staring at Simon as if he were a ghost. I look back to him and find him staring at her with trepidation, but also a bit of longing. It gives me hope that he isn't too far gone, that he still loves mom deeply just like Bell and I do.

He remains quiet and still, continuing to stare at our mother, who makes a few tentative steps towards him.

"I'm so glad you came baby-"

"Don't!" Simon says loudly, cutting mom off, and startling us both.

"Simon." I say in a warning tone to him. He just glares at me.

"I'm not there yet mom. I'll be here for ma, but as far as you and I go, we're still the same." He says, squaring his shoulders like he's a big tough man.

The expression that falls across my mother's face, one of pain and anguish, makes me instantly angry, but I know if I were to do anything to Simon right now she would get more upset. After the way that he has treated her for the past several years, I'm surprised she still cares, and still protects him as much as she does.

Being a father, I can understand the depth of love felt for your child, but as a son, a son who loves his mother so dearly, all I want to do is hurt my brother as much as he has hurt her.

"Can I go see ma now?" He asks, looking at me. I look to our mother and she nods her head slightly in the affirmative. I turn my attention back to Simon.

"Room 309." I say to him in a clipped tone. He nods his head and steps around us, heading down the hall to see ma, Mia fast on his heels. She refuses to make eye contact with any of us, knowing full well she isn't welcome here.

I immediately open my arms for my mother and invite her in, which she does willingly, and I pull her into a tight comforting hug. I kiss the top of her head as I feel her pull Sophie into our little embrace. Several minutes later I see Bella come walking back down the hall towards us, an annoyed look on her face. Once to us she whispers in a clipped voice.

"He is such an asshole!" She exclaims in reference to Simon. Mom immediately removes her head from my chest to glare at Bella.

"Isabella Jane, language! You know better than that." She scolds. Bella has the decency to at least look apologetic.

"Sorry mother." She says genuinely.

"It's okay baby." Mom says back to her.

"What did he do?" I ask Bell, wanting to know why she called him an asshole.

"Just being a jerk when he got in there, and his stupid girlfriend came in with him. She was giving me the stink eye, and when I asked him to have her leave he told me to suck it up, that she was part of the family now. I might have called her a gold digging skank and he flipped on me, calling me a stupid bitch who only wants to impress mommy. Instead of getting into an argument with ma lying there, I chose to just leave." She says, looking at me the whole time, knowing her words are hurting mom.

Sure enough, as I look over to her she has tears running down her face, and she looks utterly broken.

"Where did we go wrong with him?" Mom suddenly cries, but only loud enough for Bell and I to hear.

"I always made sure I gave him an equal amount of attention and love, just like I did you two. I don't understand!" She cries, and it breaks my heart.

"No mom, you can't think like that. We know you did all you could and raised him right. You gave all of us more love and attention than I'm sure a lot of kids get. There was never a day growing up where I thought you didn't love me. Without a single doubt I knew you did. You and ma were the best parents a kid could ask for. Simon just can't see that I guess." Bella says, moving in to take mom into her arms.

She caresses the back of her head as mom cries into her chest. Being biologically ma's daughter, Bella stands at 5'10" so she's a good three inches taller than mom. Other than her height though, Bella is exactly like our mother. She has the same honey-blonde hair, the same fair skin with freckles, and the same brilliant mind. I always knew she would end up a doctor too. They look almost like sisters embracing, not mother and daughter.

"Do you want me to go talk to him?" I ask mom, as she removes herself from Bella's embrace before answering me.

"I don't know if that would help much Lucas, but thank you." She says, wiping a few tears from her cheeks. I am having a very hard time controlling my anger at this point. The amazing woman standing before me has been nothing but an outstanding mother, and my little brother is a complete asshole for the way he treats her. It didn't always used to be like this. He used to be such a sweet little boy. I remember back to when Simon was 5 and it was the day of our mother's birthday. I was almost 10 and Bella would have been around 6. We had woken up early to make breakfast in bed for mom, and I remember Simon being so excited about it.

 *****Flashback*** - About 20 years ago...**

 _"Sim, wake up." I whisper to my younger brother, attempting to get him up so we can go downstairs and help ma make breakfast for mom. I shake him a few more times and his eyes finally start to open._

 _"Dude, it's mom's birthday. Ma's downstairs waiting for us to help with breakfast for her." I say, and his eyes light up with excitement. He quickly hops out of bed and heads to his closet. He roots around in there for a moment before coming back out with a card and what looks like a necklace. He holds them up for me to see. I walk over to look and see that it's a card he made himself, and a necklace made out of shells._

 _"I made this for mommy, do you think she'll like it?" He asks me, and I give him a weird look._

 _"Of course she will dude, you made it. And why do you still call her mommy? You're like five now." I say, and his face goes red with embarrassment._

 _"Cuz I want to, that's why." He says, and quickly makes his way out of the room. I roll my eyes but follow after him, excited to make breakfast with ma._

 ** _20 minutes later..._**

 _"Maura, honey, wake up." Ma say softly to mom as she walks into their bedroom with a tray in her hand. Bell, Simon and I are walking quietly behind her. Mom starts to stir on the bed, and when her eyes open and she spots us all in the room, her face lights up and she quickly sits up in bed. Ma sets the tray of food down on the bed over mom before sitting down. All three of us kids crawl up onto the bed around them._

 _"We made you breakfast mommy." Bella says with a smile, and giggles when mom scoops her into a hug._

 _"Thank you my babies, this is so sweet." Mom says, pulling Simon and I each into a hug of our own. I blush with embarrassment, but let her hug me anyways._

 _"I thought you deserved something yummy in bed, but this is more kid friendly." Ma says, and mom gives her a weird look like she needs to stop talking, whatever that means. After they share a moment, like they always do, mom turns her attention back to us kids._

 _"What do you have there Simon." Mom asks my brother, who goes red once more, before handing mom the card and necklace he made._

 _"I made these for you mommy." He says quietly, and folds his arms in front of him once mom takes the stuff. She reads his card, and puts on his necklace, and pulls him into another hug._

 _"Thank you Simon, this is so sweet." She says to him, and I can see a tear fall down her cheek. Way to go and make her sad Simon. "Did you draw_ _this?" Mom asks him after she looks at his card for a bit. Simon nods his head slightly._

 _"I wanted you to feel special mommy, cuz it's your day and I love you." He says quietly again._

 _"This really is amazing, you're such a sweet boy." Mom says, more tears falling down her face. I thought tears were supposed to mean you were sad, but she doesn't look sad. She actually looks really happy, and the next thing I know, we're all hugging on the bed and everyone is laughing, so I join in, deciding to just go along with everything._

 ***** End Flashback *****

I smile as the bittersweet feelings of happiness wash over me. Things were so much simpler back then. Granted I was just a kid, and didn't really know what was going on half the time, but I knew that we all loved each other at least. Now our family is somewhat broken. Simon pretty much hates our mother, which has caused contention between my parents, and Bella and I are caught in the middle, with no idea what to do about it. It isn't good at all, and I have my own little family to worry about as well.

"Lucas honey, are you okay?" I hear my mother ask me, pulling my attention back to her and away from my thoughts. I look at her questioningly, having no idea what it was she just asked me.

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask her.

"Well I was just wondering what your plans were for the rest of the night. I'm staying here with your mother, and Bella is going to go home for the night. Since you have Emily and the kids, I assume you want to go home?"

"No mom, I'm staying here with you. Em is going to take the kids home and come back in the morning to check on me." I tell her, already knowing that I can't leave her here alone. And even though I haven't talked to Em about this yet, I know she'll be supportive, and agree with me.

"Honey, you don't have to stay here tonight just so I'm not alone. Go home with your wife and kids, and I'll see you in the morning." Mom says, and before she even finishes her sentence I'm already shaking my head no.

"I'm staying mom, and that's the end of it. I want to be here for you and ma. You shouldn't have to go through this alone." I say, and she smiles at me gratefully. I pull her into a hug, wrapping my arms tightly around her, and hold her to me.

"Bella?" I hear my sister's name being called out in a somewhat frantic tone. We all look over to see Oliver rushing towards us. Bella instantly runs into the arms of her fiancé, needing the support only he can offer her. Oliver Samuels is a General Surgeon here at Mass General. He and Bella met when she started her residency here after med school. They've been dating ever since, and recently he proposed to her. He's a really great guy, and I couldn't have envisioned a better man for my sister.

"Baby, are you okay? I heard that your ma was admitted here a few hours ago. I came as soon as I heard, I was in surgery." He says, holding her at arms length as he looks her over to assess her.

"I'm okay Ollie, at least physically. Ma was in an accident and she's in a coma. I only just got here myself." I can hear Bella tell him, a sad tone to her voice.

"Is there anything I can do?" He asks her, then looks up and over at mom and I. We begin to make our way over to them, me keeping my arm wrapped firmly around my mother. I know she needs the physical contact at the moment, and to be honest, so do I.

"Thanks Oliver, but I'm not sure there's much you can do. It's just a matter of waiting for her to wake up now." I say to him, and he nods his head in understanding.

"Daddy, I'm hungry." Sophie says to me, pulling on the hem of my shirt. I look down to see her staring up at me with pleading eyes.

"Come on honey, let me take you to the cafeteria." Mom says, removing herself from my arms to take ahold of my daughter's hand. I look at her skeptically, wondering if she can handle watching a five year old right now, and she gives me an assuring look.

"This will be good for me baby." She says, so I nod my head and kneel down to be level with Sophie.

"Go with grandma to get some food okay honey? And be a good girl." I say, kissing her forehead.

"I will daddy." She answers back, before happily allowing her grandma to lead her by the hand towards the cafeteria. I stand back up and look to my sister and almost brother-in-law. Oliver has his arm wrapped securely around Bella, who is practically molded to his side. I smile at the scene before me, extremely happy for my baby sister.

"How you holding up Luke?" Oliver asks me, a sympathetic look on his face. I sigh out in frustration, not really sure how to answer his question.

"Luke? Where's Sophie?" Emily asks me, suddenly appearing at my side. She has Liam cradled to her, and a worried expression on her face.

"She was hungry so mom took her to the cafeteria to get something to eat. They just left." I tell her, and see her sigh out in relief. I don't really know why she felt the need to be worried. I wouldn't have let anything happen to our daughter, and I certainly wouldn't be casually standing here with my sister if I didn't know where she was. Emily must be able to tell this is what I'm thinking, because she gives me an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry honey, I know you're a perfectly capable father, I just can't help but worry. Its the hormones." She says, and I smile at her, knowing she didn't intend to insult my fatherly capabilities.

"I know baby." I say, extending my arm as an invitation for her to come over. She smiles at me and moves under my arm. I pull her and my son tight against me, and kiss her temple.

"Awesome, the gangs all here!" Simon suddenly calls out as he walks towards us. He has a smirk on his face that doesn't sit well with me. Both Bella and I glare at him as he approaches.

"Wow, tough crowd." He says arrogantly, to which we don't respond.

"Anyways, I wanted to talk to you both. What do we plan on doing about this?"

"What do you mean Simon?" Bella asks in a clipped tone. She's not taking any of his shit tonight. I can see Oliver pull her tighter against him, knowing how Bella can get when Simon starts running his mouth. They used to be so very close, so when Simon started to change, it hit Bella much harder than it did me. I remember when he and I actually got into a fight after he said some things to Bella that pushed me too far.

 *****Flashback*** - About a year and a half ago...**

 _Sitting here watching my younger brother and mom get into a fight in the backyard of my parents house has sadly become a regular occurrence for me. We're all gathered together tonight to celebrate Bella finally graduating from Med School, to which Simon actually showed up. This is something we didn't think would happen, seeing as he's usually out of the country, or far away on the east coast._

 _Normally you would think that this would be a joyous occasion for a family, and don't get me wrong it is. But in light of this success on my sisters part, my mother felt the need to say something to Simon about him staying here and getting a degree. That of course set him off, and now here they are arguing about it, again._

 _I look over to my ma, and see a pained expression on her face. This is usually how it goes; Mom and Simon get into an argument for one reason or another, we all sit back and watch, and ma gets really hurt. She feels the need to protect both her wife and son, but when you have to take a side, she can't bring herself to choose. This usually leads to mom and her fighting later on after us kids have gone home, which I know hurts her too. The rift between my brother and mom has caused problems in their marriage. I know neither of them will ever admit it, but I can tell. I am a Rizzoli after all, I was taught to pay extra attention to things. That's what makes me such a great lawyer._

 _"Simon, good god, would you just knock it off already! We get it, you don't want to go to school. How about instead of yelling at your mother, who only had your best interest in mind, you sit down and shut up like a good little man!" Bella suddenly yells at Simon, no longer willing to sit here and listen to him berate our mother. This just serves to piss him off more, and now he directs his furry towards her.  
_

 _"Shut the fuck up Bella! You don't know shit about what's going on. Just sit back and enjoy your moment_ golden girl. _" He snaps at her, and the instant look of sheer pain on my sister's face snaps my resolve, and causes me to act. I jump up from my seat and head towards Simon, catching him off guard as I grab him by the arm and begin to pull him towards the house._

 _"Get off of me!" He yells, flipping his arm around at the same time as he spins, effectively escaping my grip._

 _"You need to get yourself in check." I warn him, and he just scoffs at me._

 _"Or what_ golden boy _? You gonna make me?" He asks arrogantly. I know he knows I can take him, but right now the testosterone is flowing throughout his body, making him feel much tougher than he actually is. I don't want to sound rude or anything, but Simon isn't my biological brother. Yes, we were both raised in a Rizzoli household, so naturally we were taught to fight, but I still have the upper hand. I came from my mother, who herself came from an Irish mob boss who never took no for an answer. So not only do I know how to fight, but I have tough blood running through my veins. Simon does not._

 _"I don't want to get into a fight with you Simon. I just don't want to hear you continuously be rude to the women that I love. This is Bella's day, you're supposed to be here for her, celebrating. But instead you're arguing with mom over your future and well being. How is that being a supportive brother, or decent man for that matter?" I ask, and only have a moment to react before a fist comes flying towards my face. He manages to catch the bottom of my jaw, me being unable to react quickly enough, and it sends my head twisting painfully to the side. I slowly turn my head back facing forward, my hand moving up to rub my sore jaw, and glare at my brother as he stares back at me with a cocky grin on his face._

 _"Come on hot shot, hit me back." He says, attempting to antagonize me into fighting him. I already know that I won't play into his game, but I am extremely tempted to. I want to land one solid punch to his face, sending him to the ground, out cold, but I know I can't. That would hurt my mothers, upset my sister, as well as my wife and daughter, and hurt me too. Despite his horrible attitude, I still love my brother. I just wish he hadn't become so bitter and angry._

 _"Simon, knock it off." I say, and this time I'm faster than he is, easily blocking the next punch he throws at me, grabbing his arm and twisting. He cries out in pain and turns his body, attempting to get free. This is exactly what I wanted him to do, and in a flash I have his arms locked up behind his head in a hold, as he thrashes about._

 _"Let go of me you asshole!" He cries, and I squeeze just a bit tighter to cause pain._

 _"Enough with the swearing! My 3 year old daughter is listening." I growl out at him, my tolerance for his behavior at zero._

 _"Let me go Luke!" He yells again, and this time I let him go, although I keep my arms up in case he tries to hit me again. His gaze looks behind us, and I naturally follow, instantly seeing five pairs of female eyes looking back at me. Ma has a hurt expression on her face, mom has tears streaming down hers as she clings to ma, Bella has a frustrated and pained expression. My wife Emily has disappointment written all over her face, as my little daughter Sophie in her arms stares at me with pure fear in her eyes. Each expression brings pain and embarrassment to me, not only for myself, but for my brother as well. The Rizzoli-Isles men have made a mess of the evening. I turn back around to look at Simon, and watch as he glares at all of us before turning on his heels and jogging towards the house, no doubt leaving. I watch after him for a moment, and jump slightly when I feel soft hands come to rest on my shoulder. I look to see Bella staring sympathetically at me._

 _"I'm sorry Bells." I say, but she starts shaking her head at me. "Don't be bro. If he can't be bothered to show up to a family gathering and be civil, then he shouldn't be here. And for the record, I don't blame you for trying to stop him, hell I commend you. That kids a shithead." She says, and we both chuckle a bit._

 _"I know you guys were really close, so it pisses me off that he keeps doing this." I tell her, wrapping my arm around her shoulder._

 _"Me too, but he's not the same kid I grew up with, he's changed. I miss him everyday, and the more time goes on, I don't know if he'll ever be the Simon I loved again." She says sadly, resting her head on my shoulder. I plant a loving kiss atop her head, and pull her tighter against me, wanting to give as much comfort as I can._

 ** _***End Flashback***_**

"What the shit are we supposed to do about ma?" He asks, sounding annoyed with us for not knowing what he meant. All this does is serve to upset Bella however.

"Are you really going to come over and talk to us like that? Ma is in a coma, and you're still acting like your stuck up arrogant self?" She snaps at him, and surprisingly he doesn't immediately start yelling at her.

"Shut up Bella, I don't have time for your nagging." He finally responds with, nothing super cleaver.

"Knock it off Simon, I'm not going to put up with it." Oliver says, speaking up this time, which is rare for him because he usually likes to stay out of family matters. Now however, he's going to become part of the family, so he has a right to speak up, especially since Simon is talking to his future wife disrespectfully.

"Oh coming to the rescue, Doctor Perfect over here!" Simon says in a snarky tone, and I can't help but scoff. This instantly turns his attention towards me.

"Something funny, brother?" He asks me defensively.

"Really kid, you're going to act like this? I had high hopes for you when you first got here, but now you're just acting like your typical jerk self. It's very unflattering of you bro." I say to him, and he actually has the audacity to look offended. Instead of responding though, he takes a moment to compose himself. I see Mia behind him decide that she wants to come up and put her arm around him, like we're attacking him and he needs protecting. He turns his head and looks at her, the two conversing for a moment silently so we can't hear, and then he turns his attention back to me once more.

"What I wanted to ask you two, was what are your plans now? I'm assuming Maura is staying here tonight with ma. Then what, we take shifts watching ma so she can go home and take some time for herself?" He asks in the most sincere tone he can manage, which is actually rather impression considering the way he was just talking a moment ago. It still bothers me that he refers to our mother by her first name, and not mom, but I decide to ignore that for now.

"Yes, _mom_ is staying the night tonight, and I'm staying with her. Bella was going to come back in the morning, and we'll see if we can't get mom to go home and take some time to relax." I say in response to his question, specifically saying the word mom so he understands that is what she should be called.

"Okay that works. I'm staying in an apartment with Mia over on Paris, so we aren't too far. You guys let me know when you need me to come help?" He asks, almost innocently.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my brother?" Bella suddenly asks in a sarcastic tone.

"I'm serious Bella, our differences aside, I still love ma, and I want to be here for her."

"I have your number, I'll let you know when we need you to come in. And obviously you don't need our permission to come see her." I say to him, and he nods thankfully.

"We gotta go, but please let me know if anything happens okay?" He asks next, looking from Bella to me and back. I nudge Bella when she doesn't immediately respond to him. She glares at me momentarily before addressing him.

"Yea, sure thing baby bro." She says to him, but she doesn't sound happy about it. Simon takes it though, nodding his head once more, and then says his quick goodbyes. He takes Mia's hand and leads her towards the automatic doors of the hospital entrance. We all watch him go, and only turn back to each other once he's completely out of sight.

"What in the hell was that?" Bella asks first thing.

"One minute he's a complete ass, and then the next he's acting all concerned and what not. I seriously don't understand that boy." She says with a questioning look directed at me.

"I'm just as clueless as you sis. I don't have any idea what that was." I tell her as I scratch the back of my head.

"Perhaps you should be glad that he showed any sort of concern?" Oliver questions us, and we both have to nod in agreement. A sudden vibration in my pocket startles me, and I reach inside to grab my phone. I check the screen and my face instantly drops. It's a text from my older cousin Tommie Jr. asking about when we're on for basketball next, which obviously isn't cause for worry. It just makes me realize that we haven't told either of ma's brothers, or nona yet.

"What?" Bella asks, noticing the look on my face.

"We haven't called Frankie or Tommy to tell them about Ma. And how are we going to tell nona?" I ask her, and her face falls as well.

* * *

 **Okay, there you have chapter one of the third installment. Please let me know what you thought and if you think I should continue, I am very curious to hear your opinions. [Oh and please be kind, I'm fragile;)] I plan on doing each chapter in a different view,** **i.e. Maura one chapter, Bella the next and Simon after that as well. I want to explore each of their view on things. So yea, let me know, and I hope you enjoyed it:)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I want to say thanks to all of you who followed/favorited and reviewed this story. It makes me so happy to know that you all still love my work, and that I can continue to write for you all. I'm especially happy that this one took, because it's been in my head, and on my computer for awhile now, and I've wanted to post it almost as long. Here is chapter 2 for all you lovely readers. I hope you enjoy it, I had a blast writing it, and don't forget to review when you're done;)**

 **ENJOY!**

* * *

Boston Massachusetts is a busy place, lots of people rushing this way and that in an attempt to get to their destinations faster. The sounds of blaring car horns and screeching tires fills the air. The hospital is just as busy as the outside world, doctors and nurses rushing about to attend to their patients. Doctors being paged over the intercom, a few machines going off here and there. One room in particular though is rather silent, save for the steady beeping of a few machines keeping a certain detective monitored. Three sleeping figures occupy the room, one of which begins to stir slightly.

 **Massachusetts General Hospital 7:45 am (the next day)  
**

The sound of a rather loud snort suddenly wakes me from my restless slumber. I lift my head from its resting point on my arms to look over at my oldest son Lucas. He's curled up on the small chair in the corner of the room, his head hanging to the side as he continues to snore. He doesn't look very comfortable, but from experience I know that boy can sleep anywhere. He always fell asleep in the oddest of places when he was growing up. I thought for sure he'd have neck problems by now, but they haven't arisen yet. Another loud snort startles me once more, and I can't help but chuckle lightly at my son. Even now, as a man with his own family, stubble on his face, he's still my little boy. I give thanks everyday for him and his siblings. This thought suddenly brings sadness as I picture my youngest son. Things have been tense between us for several years now, something that has taken a great tole on me.

I want nothing more than to turn back time and never allow myself to start arguing with him. I remember the day he graduated from high school, how excited and proud he was, like it was yesterday.

 *****Flashback*** - Around 7 years ago...**

 _"Oh my god baby, I'm so proud of you!" I call out as I rush towards my son, clad in his deep navy dress robes with his cap tilted to the side on his blonde head. I immediately pull him into my arms and tight against me._

 _"Mom! Stop, people are watching." He whines, but not all that convincingly, making me feel okay in continuing our hug._

 _"I'm just so proud of you honey." I say as I pull away from our hug, a few lone tears falling down my cheeks._

 _"Yea bro, we're all proud of you." My daughter Isabella says, coming up on my right side to lightly punch Simon in the arm. Lucas joins in on my left, and I quickly feel strong arms envelope me from behind, followed by that sweet smell of lavender and something so Jane as she rests her chin on my shoulder._

 _"You did good kid." She says to Simon, who gives her a crooked grin in return._

 _"I have to say cuz, I'm quite proud of you, even though you did graduated a year after me." Tanner says as he comes up behind Lucas. The rest of the family files in around us. Tommy walks up with his arm around Lydia as she's holding onto T.J.'s one year old son Conner. T.J. and his wife Lucy are just behind them, large smiles on their faces. Frankie and Sarah follow in quickly behind with their five children; 17 year old Emilia, their 15 year old son Angelo, 11 year old Alessandra, or Alex for short, 8 year old Gabriella & 6 year old Mila. Four girls and one boy, making Frankie the Rizzoli sibling with the most kids. Jane always teases him about not being able to 'keep it in his pants' but I know she's happy for him. I always knew that he would have the biggest family, I could just tell he was a man who wanted a large family, lots of __kids running around, and he definitely got what he wanted._

 _"So, how does it feel to be a high school graduate?" Bella asks Simon as we all slowly begin to make our way towards the parking lot. He's about to answer when a wryly group of boys comes rushing up to him, one jumping on his back while several more start to punch and grab at him. I instantly move to dismiss these boys, concerned for my sons safety, when I feel those strong arms pull me back.  
_

 _"Relax, it's just his friends. He's fine, see." Jane says, pointing at the giant smile on our son's face. I quickly relax against Jane, and watch the boys for a moment longer until I'm satisfied that he's okay. I turn my attention away from the ruckus as she begins to speak to me._

 _"So, mom, how does it feel to have all three of your children now graduated from High School?" She asks me, and I scoff at her._

 _"Old." I say exasperatedly, not wanting to admit that I'm 62 years old already and that my baby is 18 and graduated from High School. My oldest son is engaged, to a wonderful woman of course, but that means that I'll be a grandmother soon, and I don't know if I'm ready for that._

 _"You're not old Maur, because that would mean that_ I'm _old, and I refuse to admit that." She says playfully, and I chuckle at her, liking the way she thinks._

 _"So mama's, I couldn't help but overhear that you're feeling old now. I felt compelled to add my two cents, and say that you are both radiantly beautiful women who still have tons of years ahead of you." Emily says as she comes up to our right. I turn in Jane's arms to see a giant grin upon her face._

 _"See Maur, this is why I approve of her marrying our son. She is simply amazing!" She says before letting go of me and scooping Emily up into her arms. Emily starts giggling at Jane, and I smile as I watch lovingly. I've known Emily for over 15 years, and each day I grow to love her more and more, if that's even possible._

 _"Alright ma, let the pretty lady go, I don't want you crushing her." Luke says as he comes up to us, attempting to remove his ma's arms from around his fiance. Jane willingly lets go, and resumes her previous position by wrapping her arms around me._

 _"Hey mom, can I go out to dinner with the guys tonight? They're having a graduation dinner to celebrate at IHop and they want me to come." Simon asks me as he comes rushing up enthusiastically._

 _"Simon, we have plans to go out to dinner for you with the whole family." I tell him, even though it's something that he should already know._

 _"But-" He starts before Jane cuts him off._

 _"You heard your mother Simon, the whole family is here, celebrating you. You can hang out with your friends another night." She tells him with finality, and he opens his mouth like he's about to argue. A warning look from Jane however causes him to think twice and his shoulders fall before he turns around to head back to his friends. I can see him telling them, as all of their faces fall in disappointment, and then a few of them glance over with annoyed looks on their faces. Simon begins to gesture wildly, and his friends begin to laugh, causing me to worry slightly._

 _"Do you think he's bad mouthing us to his friends?" I ask Jane, looking up at her with a worried expression.  
_

 _"Oh there's no doubt he is." She says, not really seeming bothered by it. She must be able to see the worried expression on my face and know my internal struggle with this information._

 _"But he's never acted like this before." I tell her, truly not understanding where this behavior is coming from._

 _"He's a teenage Maur, and a boy. He thinks he has to save face with his friends, so he's no doubt saying how horrible we are for not letting him go. I know I did the same thing when I was a teenage, it happens. It doesn't mean he loves us any less though." She says, doing little to assuage my worries. I just nod my head however, not wanting to go into it further. Instead I watch as Simon says goodbye to his friends and then slowly makes his way back over to us. He decides to head towards his cousin's instead of Jane and I, and I can't help the way that it hurts me._

 _"Boys will be boys Maura, try not to let it get to you." My mother-in-law says, suddenly coming up beside me and resting her arm on my shoulder. I startle slightly, but quickly recover, allowing Angela to put her arm around my shoulder and lead me over to the rest of the family. Everyone soon begins to make their way to the parking lot once more, and we eventually make our way to dinner, Simon's reaction still weighing heavily on my mind._

 ** _***End Flashback***_**

That was really the beginning of his downward spiral so to speak. Before that, my Simon would have never even bothered asking if he could hang out with his friends instead of family for a gathering like that. That was the first time he tried, and it didn't sit well with me. I thought about it for a while after that, even though Jane said I was over-reacting and that I needed to drop it. I couldn't make myself though, because I knew how uncharacteristic his behavior was. Growing up he never tried to argue or dispute what we said, he just went with it, so that's why it was bothering me. It planted a seed in my brain, something that I hid after a while, but it never truly went away.

"Mom?" A scratchy voice suddenly asks, breaking the silence in the room and taking me from my thoughts. I look over to find Lucas staring at me, his hair sticking up at an odd angle from resting against the chair all night, and he's rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he begins to slowly sit up normally in the chair.

"Hey baby." I say softly to him, recieving a smile in return.

"How did you sleep?" I ask next, concerned with the position sleeping on that chair put him in. To emphasize my worry, he begins to stretch his neck side to side as he groans out in discomfort.

"I slept okay. My necks a little stiff, but I'll be fine. I'm used to it anyways, lots of late nights at the office going over cases." He says, his voice deep and raspy like his mothers is early in the morning.

"That doesn't make it any better Lucas. You're creating tension on your trapezius and sternocleidomostoid muscles." I say in concern.

"Stern Clyde master what?" He asks, looking and sounding just like Jane as he does so, which of course causes me to look towards my wife with sadness.

"How's she doing?" Lucas asks in a quiet tone, coming up behind me and resting his hand on my shoulder. My right hand goes up to rest atop his while my left heads straight for Jane's free hand, taking it firmly in mine.

"Nothing new, the nurses came in last night to check up on her, and she's still the same." I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Well at least she's not worse right?" He asks hesitantly. I nod my head slightly at his question.

"I suppose."

"Oh, you're up." A voice says from the doorway, causing both Luke and I to look over at the nurse who just walked in. She heads right over to Jane and starts checking all of her machines, making sure everything is in order.

"Did you two sleep okay?" She asks while going about her tasks.

"Fine thank you." I respond.

"I've had better." Luke says to her, and she looks up at him in understanding.

"If you're staying tonight, you can ask the night nurse to grab you both a cot if you would like. It's not much better, but still it's a step up from sleeping in a chair. I can imagine that your neck doesn't feel all that swell." She says to him.

"I'll keep that in mind thanks. Hows my ma doing?" He asks her, getting right to the point.

"She's as well as can be expected. She's stable, which is good. We'll be keeping her in a coma for another day or so, just to make sure all the swelling has gone down and that she's had ample time to heal, then it's up to her on when she wakes up." She responds as she finishes up.

"Any other questions?" She asks after a brief silence, and both Luke and I shake our heads no.

"We're fine, thank you. If we need you we'll page." Luke says to her politely. She nods her head in understanding before heading back out the door and closing it behind her.

"Are you hungry mom?" Luke asks me after a bit more silence, all while I continue to stare at Jane, no real thoughts going through my brain.

"No I'm fine darling, but if you are, feel free to go get something, I'll be fine alone for a while."

"Mom, you need to eat something. When was the last time you ate?"

"I had a chicken salad for lunch yesterday afternoon." I reply.

"See, you need to eat mom, and you know it." He says, playing on my knowledge of the human body and its need for sustinance. Even though I can understand him on that level, I really do not feel like filling my stomach with food at this moment. I have no doubt that I would expel the contents soon after, so it would really just be a waste of food.

"I'm really not hungry Luke. When I am, I promise I will eat." I tell him, hoping to appease him for the time being. I hear him sigh behind me, no doubt giving up this fight to get me to eat, at least for now.

"Fine, but I need coffee so I'm going to head to the cafeteria. Is there anything that I can get you to drink at least?" He asks me. This time I look up at him with a thankful smile on my face.

"I'm fine honey, but thank you. I'll let you know when I need something." I tell him, which seems to appease him for now. He nods his head and moves for the door, looking at me hesitantly for a minute before walking out and closing the door behind him. Immediately my attention goes back to Jane, my hand having never left hers. I give it a squeeze, needing the contact for myself more so than for her. I've read many research articles that say it could be beneficial to talk to someone who's in a coma, that there is a possibility they can hear you, but I have yet to really speak to Jane. I did briefly when she first got out of surgery, but it's like I've been in a coma myself, not really speaking, zoning out at times as my children attempt to talk to me. I truly am not the same woman without Jane. My wife and kids are the people that keep me going, that make me who I am. Without Jane, that rock is cracked, attempting to break completely, and I don't know what to do. Now that Lucas isn't in the room, I feel myself let go, like my strength is gone and I can't make it. I begin to think back on our utterly stupid fight, and allow myself the thought that because of it, I may never see my beloved awake again.

 *****Flashback*** Yesterday, Beacon Hill 7:00 pm**

 _"So Bella told me that you talked to Simon yesterday." I call out to my wife as I set the last dish into the dishwasher. Jane doesn't look up from her position on the couch, watching the sports highlights. She just calls over her shoulder to me instead._

 _"Yea I did, he seems to be doing fine, I guess he's back in town in an apartment with Mia." She says, which only serves to aggravate me more. One, because she just called over her shoulder instead of fully addressing me, and two, because Mia was mentioned. I hands down do not like that young woman. Ever since my son got involved with her, things have gone downhill in regards to his attitude and outlook on life. I absolutely hate the fact that he is living with her, even though I know it's not good for me._

 _"And you weren't going to tell me that you talked to him?" I ask her as I approach the couch. This time she does turn around to look at me, and upon seeing the aggravated expression on my face, decides to turn the TV off and give me her undivided attention._

 _"Well, we only talked briefly, and not about much, so I didn't really think it was necessary." She says, a little hesitantly. Our youngest son has become a cause of contention between us these last several years, something that eats at me everyday. With a marriage as solid as ours, it hurts to know that we've let something like this stand in our way. Now don't get me wrong, Jane and I still truly love each other, but we can't ever really talk about Simon, because then we argue._

 _"Look, I should have said something, I get that, but I honestly didn't want to fight and I knew if I mentioned it, we would, just like we are now." She says, instantly causing a scowl to fall upon my face._

 _"Jane, he is my son, a son I haven't heard from in months, how could you honestly think that I wouldn't want to know that you had talked to him? I had to hear from my_ daughter _that my wife and son had a conversation. That's just not right." I say to her a bit angrily, resting my hands on my hips like I've become accustom to, being a mother._

 _"You're right, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." She says, sounding rather annoyed, before turning her attention back towards the TV. This just serves to aggravate me further._

 _"You can't honestly think I'm going to let this drop, especially like that do you?" I snap at her, not wanting to tolerate her annoyance with me towards this. She suddenly whips around at my words however, a look of desperation on her face._

 _"He didn't want me to tell you okay!" She yells, and instantly a look of regret replaces the look of desperation. I gasp in a deep breath and hold it upon processing her words, pain instantly flowing all throughout my body. My hand instinctually goes to rest upon my heart, and tears start falling down my face._

 _"Oh shit, Maur, I didn't mean to say that." Jane says, getting up from the couch and reaching out for me. I shake my head at her, a silent request that she not touch me, before I begin to speak._

 _"No Jane, it's alright. Thank you for being honest with me. If you don't mind, I think I'm just going to go upstairs to bed." I half sob, half whisper to her, and turn to head upstairs. I don't look back, and she doesn't follow me, which I am rather grateful for. I want to be alone to 'nurse my wounds' as Jane would say. It never fails to hurt like hell when I hear that Simon doesn't want to talk to me, as it would any mother. I know it puts Jane in a rough place, but I really wish that she would side with me instead of trying to play Sweden, or Switzerland, I forget what the_ _colloquium is. I am her partner after all, she should agree with me, hands down every time, but she's too soft when it comes to our children. And I know Simon holds a special place in her heart, so it's hard for her. As a mother I can understand that, but as I wife it hurts that she's not fully on my side._

 _Once in my room I shed my clothes and leave them where they fall on the floor, crawling in to bed and curling up in a tight ball. I cry silently until I fall into a fitful sleep with Jane's arms wrapped around me, her having come to bed about an hour after me. It does little to comfort me however, just prolonging the agony and making the night seem to go on and on and on._

 *****End Flashback*****

Tears suddenly start pouring down my face, and I soon realize that I'm crying hysterically. I wrap my free arm around my torso, attempting to hold myself together, but it's not really helping.

"Mom?" I hear asked from the door, and look up briefly to see my daughter Isabella staring at me with panic all over her face. She instantly rushes to me, wrapping me up in her arms, which only serves to make my cry harder, if that were at all possible. The fact that she feels like Jane only serves to make it hurt more as she holds tightly to me, almost exactly like her mother would. I absolutely love how she took after Jane in height and strength, but that she's also soft and fair like me. She really is a good combination of us both, and I'm so unbelievable proud of her. This moment right now is one of the many things to be proud of, the way she's holding me so tightly, wanting to comfort me as much as possible. She's simply amazing.

"Mom, what's wrong? Is Ma okay?" She asks after a bit, hesitance and fear lacing her tone of voice. I instantly feel bad for making her feel like something is wrong with her mother, well more wrong with her that is. I pull back from her embrace slightly so I can address her properly.

"No baby, she's not any worse than she was yesterday. I'm just crying because I started thinking about our fight last night, and how it lead to all of this." I say, fresh tears making themselves known at the thoughts. The look that befalls my daughters face now is sympothy, something I don't necessarily want to see at the moment.

"Mom, you can't keep beating yourself up about this, things happen, couples fight. Plus you know how mom likes to run away when that happens. She's just as much to blame for the whole thing as you are. I can understand the frustration with her leaving her stuff out. God knows it drives me crazy when Ollie does it." She says, and I suddenly feel rather sheepish. I should have known Lucas would have told Bella what our fight was about. I felt bad for lying to him and telling him it was about clothes, but I didn't want him knowing that Jane and I fought over Simon once again. I already know he knows we fight about it a lot, he is a smart man after all, but I still try to keep those kinds of things from him. I was just glad that he hadn't noticed the hives on my chest. Bella will right now however if I attempt to lie to her about it.

"Mom? What is it?" She ask, her head turning slightly as she looks at me suspiciously.

"We didn't fight about your ma leaving her clothes out on the floor. That's just what I told your brother so he wouldn't know the truth." I tell her, not making eye contact.

"What did you guys really fight about then?" I knew she would ask, but I still cringe slightly once the words fall from her lips. I don't want to tell her and worry her, but she deserves to know the truth.

"We fought about Simon." I whisper, and I hear her groan out in frustration.

"That damn kid, I swear." She growls out, sounding just like Jane when she does the same thing.

"Honey, please don't make a bid deal out of it." I attempt, but she just glares at me.

"How can I not? That little shit it causing a severe rift between my mothers, and I won't stand for it." She says, getting angry, something I didn't want to happen. I take her hands on mine, which has always worked in calming her down when she was growing up, and I look right into her eyes.

"Honey, your mother and I know what we're doing. Simon is _our_ responsibility, and I don't want you to be worrying about it." I say softly, hoping to make her feel slightly better.

"Yes, but you're _my_ mother, and so is ma, and I hate to see you both hurt. I know he is the reason that you're both hurt, and it has to stop. He's an ungrateful little shit, and needs to be taught a lesson." I love my daughter, so very much, but she inherited her mother's crass mouth, and she's not afraid to show it. She's a brilliant doctor, working hard here for her residency, but she swears like a sailor. It's something that always makes Jane laugh, but it doesn't have the same effect on me.

"Isabella please, can you refrain from using such vulgar words?" I ask her, attempting to sound nice.

"Nope, not when it comes to Simon. He deserves those types of words and more." She is rather quick in her response, not seeming to care that I am bothered by her choice of words. It both annoys and makes me proud. I'm annoyed because I don't like swear words, but I'm proud that she's willing to stand up for her mother's, even if it is towards her younger brother.

"Well I just ask that you make an effort at least." I say, and she nods in approval. The door suddenly opens, causing us both to look over and watch as Lucas comes back into the room, carrying two cups of coffee. I'm about to protest that I didn't want anything, when he hands the other cup to Bella.

"Thanks bro." She says before taking a sip. He just nods with a smile and ruffles her hair briefly before resting his hand on my shoulder.

"You okay?" He asks quietly, noticing the tear marks on my cheeks. I nod in the affirmative and attempt to give him a reassuring smile. I'm not sure how successful I am, but he takes it either way, and goes to sit back down in the chair he slept in last night.

"So I was finally able to get ahold of uncle Frankie this morning. He obviously can't use his phone on board the ship, but they have wifi, so I sent him an email and he responded back to me. They still have about three days left on their cruise, and then they have to fly back, so it'll take awhile for them to get here. He wanted to cut the trip short and catch a flight out from their next stop, but I convinced them not to. I told him ma was stable, and if anything changed, good or bad, I'd let him know." Luke says as he sits down.

"Didn't uncle Tommy, Frost and Jake go with them too?" Bella asks her brother, and both he and I nod our heads.

"Yea, it was supposed to be like a large family thing, but moms didn't want to go, right?" Luke says, turning to me for an answer.

"Yes, they wanted us all to go, but your mother said no because we weren't all together to be able to." I answer him.

"Plus, I have that big case I'm preparing for, so I wouldn't have been able to take the time off." Luke says, looking at his sister.

"Why didn't anyone ask me if I wanted to go?" She says, sounding annoyed.

"We did, remember?" Luke asks her.

"No, I don't remember, that's why I said that." She snaps at him, looking even more annoyed.

"Bella, be nice." I warn her, and she nods her head.

"Remember that family trip I asked you about last month? The one uncle Frankie was organizing?" Lucas asks Bella, and she sits with a confused look upon her face for a moment, until realization dawns on her, and her face lights up.

"Oh yea! I couldn't go because it fell into when Oliver's mom's birthday was." She says loudly, and Lucas chuckles at her.

"I have to say, I just love your selective memory. I still don't know how you became a doctor." He says teasingly, and Bella reaches out to smack him on the arm.

"Ha ha very funny Luke." She snaps at him.

"I'll have you know that I'm very respected here at Mass. Gen. Oliver says I'm fast on the track to becoming the next General Surgeon." Bella says to him with her chin up pridefully.

"Oh and I'm sure that has nothing to do with the fact that your _fiancé_ is the head of surgery here, or that your mother was the Chief M.E. of Boston for 30 years." Luke teases her again, earning himself another smack to the arm, this one causing him more pain as he rubs his hand over the skin with a grimace on his face. He looks at me pleadingly, an expression that says _are you going to let her do that to me?_

"You know better than anyone Luke, that if you tease her, you deserve whatever happens." I tell him, and his face falls as Bella breaks out into a fit of giggles.

"I love you mom." She says to me after she controls her laughter. I smile at her, although it doesn't quite reach my eyes. She instantly sobers from her playful mood as she notices my half smile. The realization that Jane is in the bed next to us, and that she may never wake up hits us all, filling the room with a heavy feeling of sadness.

"She'll pull through mom, she has to. She's ma, the most badass woman I know. She wouldn't be her if she didn't." Bella tells me as she comes to put her arms around me.

"It's not that simple Bella. She may be a strong woman, the strongest I know as well, but things can happen to where she won't be able to pull through." I say sadly as I allow my daughter to wrap me in her arms.

"You can't keep thinking like that mom. I know it's in your nature to think clinically, on account of you being a doctor, but at the same time you know ma. You know the type of woman she is, and all of the stuff she's managed to conquer. I have no doubt that she will pull through this, living to tease us all for many more years to come." Luke says as he rests his hand on my shoulder. I take in both of my children's words, letting them circle around in my head for a moment as I process them. In response to their words, I kiss Bella on the side of the head, and rest my hand atop Lucas', giving it a reassuring squeeze. We may be broken as we watch our beloved wife and mother lay here damaged, but we have an extremely loving bond holding us together and giving us the strength we need to be here for her.

* * *

 _"Stop, that tickles." Jane says with a chuckle as I slowly move my fingers back and forth over her abdomen. She squirms slightly as they move over a particular spot._ _Finding her squirms and protests adorable, I purposefully run my fingers over that same spot, eliciting the same reaction._

 _"Maur, knock it off!" She protests, grabbing my hand and pulling it away from her skin. I can't help the giggles that escape me, which only serves to aggrivate my beauty._

 _"Oh, you think this is funny do you?" She says, raising one of her gorgeously manicured eyebrows. My giggles cease at this moment, knowing that look. She's about to unleash her tickle skills on me, skills that are usually only reserved for our children. I immediately attempt to remove myself from her grasp, but find myself unable as she has ahold of me with her right arm. An evil smirk befalls her face, and I look up at her with panic written all over mine._

 _"Jane." I say in a warning tone, only serving to widen her evil grin._

 _"Don't you even thi-" My statement is cut off by a rather loud squeal from me as Jane begins her attack. Suddenly her fingers are everywhere, hitting every single spot that is ticklish on my body. I guess years of marriage has trained her to know all of these spots, which is rather unfortunate for me in this moment. I squeal and wiggle, attempting to get away from her, but to no avail. I am trapped, I know it, and she definitely knows it._

 _"Stop, Jay!" I cry out, hoping to plead enough to where she has mercy on me and lets me go. No such luck however, as it seems that my cries for help are only spurring her on. I really wish that the kids were home now instead of at their cousins house, because maybe they would come in and save me._

 _"Say uncle Maur." Jane says a moment later, the same evil smirk ever present on her beautiful face. I am rather confused by what she means however, a look reflective of this no doubt covering my face._

 _"Say uncle." She says again, moving her fingers in quick succession around my rib cage, earning a few good squeals from me._

 _"Why would I, ah!... say... that!" I cry out, struggling to breath._

 _"Just say it." She tells me as she continues her assault. Even though I don't understand, I know that I want this attack to end, so I shout out uncle at the top of my lungs, breathing a sigh of intense relief when she removes her fingers from my body._

 _"So, now was that so hard?" She asks me with a smirk on her face, and all I can do is glare at her. Even though she is naked, looking down at me in all of her beautiful glory, I can't find the strength to move, only to glare at her. This causes her to chuckle, only making her more beautiful, all of the annoyance and aggravation from her attack suddenly vanishing. She must see the expression on my face change, because her's softens, and she leans down to plant a loving kiss on my lips. I have enough strength to wrap my arms around her neck, and hold her tightly to me, as I deepen said kiss. These are some of my favorite moments, being here with Jane in my arms or vice versa. Even as we continue to grow in age, and things become mundane and mandatory my love for Jane never does. We still love each other as if it was the day we got married, and we still make love as if it were too. I will never tire of this woman, and for that I am eternally grateful._

"Mom!" I hear my named called, rather loud as if right next to me, so I open my eyes. They immediately adjust to the lighting, and I see that I'm in Jane's hospital room, surrounded by my children and immediate family. Frankie and Sarah are standing near the chair in the corner, Tommy and Lydia are standing behind them closest to the door, while Bella and Lucas are standing closest to me. I look across from me over Jane's lap and can see that Angela is standing on the other side of her bed, looking down at her daughter. Tanner is at her side, holding onto her arm to help support her. They must have gone and gotten her from her apartment in Worcester. At the rather old age of 92, Angela is still rather spry. She lives in an assisted living establishment called White Pines about 20 minutes from our house. When Sean passed away a few years ago, Jane didn't feel comfortable with her alone at home. She said there wouldn't be anyone to keep an eye on her. She was surprisingly okay with the change though, claiming that there would be plenty of people there for her to talk to, and brag about her amazing family to. Its a little community with several small apartments for residence's to inhabit. They also have a larger community building where activities are held, allowing the residence's to mingle and socialize. Angela has many friends there, no doubt taking advantage of her bragging rights. Every time we've had family gatherings at our house, someone always goes to get her, bringing her over so she can enjoy the festivities with everyone. She usually stays the night at our house, and then Jane takes her home in the morning. If you looked at her, and talked to her, you wouldn't think that she was 92, which is something she simply loves. She's told many of her friends that she has a 70 year old daughter, and they never believe her.

"Are you okay mom?" Bella asks me softly, grabbing my attention as I look up at her confused. I shake my head slightly before nodding yes.

"I'm fine honey, just had an interesting dream." I tell her, even though it wasn't just an ordinary dream. It was more like a memory. I've been having them a lot this last week since Jane's been in here. I keep flashing back to intimate times between my wife and I, like my mind is torturing me, showing me what I may never have again. They always seem to take place with Jane and I together in a romantic capacity of some sort or another. This last one was of a time when Jane and I had just finished making love, and were enjoying a bit of playfulness. My heart aches to have those times once more, but it's been a whole week since she got into her accident, and 4 days since they took her out of the medically induced coma. She hasn't woken up yet, and as each day goes by, the chances of her coming out of it gets smaller and smaller, and I get more and more anxious.

"How are you holding up Maura?" Frankie asks me, looking on with sympathy in his eyes.

"I'm doing alright I suppose. I have my children, and that helps tremendously." I tell him, a half smile upon my face. He nods in understanding and briefly gives my hand a reassuring squeeze before stepping back towards his wife Sarah. Its now that I notice there are quite a few people in this hospital room. I'm surprised the staff has allowed it, although I have a suspicion that they just don't know yet.

There's Frankie and Sarah, Tommy, Lydia and Tanner. Angela is next to Jane's bed across from me while she looks down at her daughter with tears in her eyes. Having Lucas and Bella near me brings to total number of people to 9, not including Jane. They've been regulating us to no more than three in her room at a time, and that was pushing it. As if they knew I was thinking about it, the nurse opens the door and walks into the room, a look of surprise and shock upon her face as she realizes how many of us are in here.

"Wow, I had no idea this many people could fit in one of these hospital rooms." She says, a few family member chuckling lightly. An apologetic look falls upon her face, and I know she's about to kick most everyone out.

"I hate to be the barer of bad news, but I'm going to have to ask all but two of you to leave the room. We ask that no more than two family members be in at a time. Although three at night has been permitted." She says, receiving looks of understanding as each member of my family begin to shuffle out.

"Mom, why don't we give Nona a bit of time alone with ma?" Bella asks me, helping me to stand as she guides me out of the room. I let her, my body practically on autopilot these past few days. Bella instantly tangles her arm with mine, standing comfortingly close as we begin a slow walk down the hall towards the waiting area. Lucas is on my other side, and he begins a conversation with his uncle.

"So Frankie, where are your little munchkins?" He asks him, Frankie walking only a couple of feet in front of us.

"Well, Lucas. As you know, three of my children are still in school, so naturally they aren't here. Emilia is in New York with her boyfriend and Angelo is working. He told me he'd stop by once he got off around 4:00." Frankie tells my son, a playful air to his tone. Lucas and Frankie have always been close, and they love to tease each other, even to this day.

"Fabulous dear uncle! Oh how that must make you feel old by the way. Having a daughter in her mid 20's, off gallivanting around with her boyfriend. Who knows what kind of trouble she could get into." Lucas say, not letting up on the teasing one bit.

"Ha ha very funny wise guy. And you essentially just insulted your mother, saying that I'm old. She's older than me, dude." Frankie points out, and immediately the smirk on my son's face disappears, and he looks to me with an apology written all over his face. Before he can even begin his apology however, I cut him off.

"It's okay honey. Frankie is just jealous, because he looks far worse for wear than I. He had to point out that I am in fact older than him, because you wouldn't know otherwise." I say, not entirely knowing where that came from. Lucas and Bella burst out laughing, and the look that falls upon Frankie's face is priceless. I even catch Sarah chuckling a little, stopping immediately as she receives a glare from her husband.

"Good one mom!" Bella exclaims to me, giving my arm a squeeze. I can't help the smile that takes over, and the warm feelings bubbling up inside. This day has been like all the others, full of sadness and longing, but moments like this make it that little bit better. And by the smiles on my children's faces, and the faces of the family members around me, it helped their day be brighter as well.

We continue on our way towards the waiting room in peaceful silence, and sit down in the uncomfortable chairs as we arrive. Bella sits next to me and rests her head against my shoulder, arm still wrapped firmly around mine. I take solace in her presence, and her warmth and love helps me tremendously. Lucas is to my right, his hand loosely grasping mine, while his eyes search the area around us. He has a look of concentration on his face, as if he's looking for someone.

"Who are you looking for love?" I ask him after a moment. He turns his attention towards me as he begins to answer.

"Em and the kids. She texted me earlier saying she was on her way. She should be getting her right about now." He says to me, a small smile on his face. He looks generally happy, even in light of our situation, and that in turn makes me extremely happy. I know its all to do with his wife and two beautiful children. It brings me so much joy knowing that my oldest son found happiness, and at a rather young age too. He and Emily have been friends since we moved to Worcester more than 20 years ago. I remember that first day that she came over to our house, and how excited Lucas was to have her there.

 *****Flashback*** Around 23 years ago...**

 _"Mom!" I hear my name being called rather loudly as my son comes rushing down the stairs. I give him a scolding look but it doesn't even phase him._

 _"Yes Lucas?" I ask, putting down the book that I was reading, internally whining as Jane ceases her massage of my feet as they rest in her lap. We were sitting comfortably on the couch, her watching sports on the television while I read from my book. I'm sitting sideways with my feet resting in Jane's lap, her fingers working wonders on my tender feet. The sudden addition of our son however has caused to her stop her movements, and I have to take a few seconds to compose myself before I address Lucas._

 _"Can Emily stay the night?" He asks eagerly, looking from Jane to me and back. His eyebrows are raised in anticipation, and he's moving from side to side with his hands behind his back like he always does when he's nervous or anxious._

 _"Honey, I don't think so. This is Emily's first time coming over, we can't ask her parents if she can stay. We need to get to know each other a little bit better for that." I tell him, and his face falls, but he nods in understanding._

 _"Would you like me to call Emily's mother and ask if she can stay for dinner?" I ask him, smiling when his face lights up once more. He nods his head vigorously, and then rushes over to me, catching me momentarily off guard._

 _"Thanks mom!" He says excitedly, planting a kiss on my cheek, before turning and rushing back upstairs. I watch after him, worried that he might hurt himself in his sheer excitement, and breath a sigh of relief once he makes it up the stairs safely._

 _"That boy sometimes, seriously." Jane says, resuming her massage of my feet once more. I moan out at the feelings of pleasure, closing my eyes as my head falls back against the armrest of the couch. I can hear Jane's deep timbered laugh, and it makes me smile._

 _"Easy there Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles. We wouldn't want you ruining this lovely couch now would we?" She asks playfully, and my eyes immediately open as I lean up to look at her._

 _"Jane!" I call out to her in warning, looking around to make sure none of our children heard what she just said. Her chuckling becomes louder as she finds humor in my actions._

 _"Oh relax babe, they're all upstairs. Plus, they wouldn't have the slightest idea of what I was talking about." She says, and I have to agree with her logic. It still wasn't a good thing to say at the moment, but I'll let it go for now._

 _"So, are you really going to call the homophobic woman and ask her if she'll let her child stay for dinner?" Jane asks after a minute of silence, looking at me expectantly. I sigh out at her question, wondering the same thing myself. Do I really want to call her and have an awkward conversation over the phone? And what if she says no? How do I explain to my son that his friend can't stay for dinner because her mother doesn't like how he has two moms?_

 _"You set yourself up for this one Maur, I have no sympathy." Jane says, and I glare at her for a second before reaching for my phone. Might as well get this over with. I already entered the phone number Mrs. Williams gave to me into my phone, so all I have to do is bring up her contact. I hit the call button and put the phone to my ear, waiting while it connects, and then wait some more for her to pick up._

 _"Hello?" She finally answers after five or six rings._

 _"Hi, Mrs. Williams?" I ask, wanting to make sure this is in fact Emily's mother that I am talking to._

 _"Yes, who is this?" She asks, sounding almost a little bit aggravated._

 _"This is Maura Rizzoli-Isels, I'm Lucas' mother, I currently have your daughter here at my house while they have a play date." I answer her._

 _"Oh right." She says, sounding more aggravated than before. When she offers no further words, I begin to speak again._

 _"Right, well I was calling to ask if it would be alright if your daughter stayed for dinner? Her and Lucas are getting along quite well, and we'd like to allow them more time to have fun." I ask, my voice surprisingly unwavering. I don't get an immediate answer however, but I do hear muffled voices on the other end. It sounds almost as if people are arguing, but I don't want to make any assumptions. Right before I'm about to inquire if she's still there, she comes back on the phone, her tone clipped._

 _"That'll be fine. When should we be by to pick her up?" She asks me, and I fumble for a moment, not entirely sure when dinner will be over with._

 _"Um, how does 8:00 sound?" I ask her, and she gives a brief 'fine' before hanging up the phone. Jane is looking at me with a mix of confusion and anticipation as I set my phone back down on the end table._

 _"What happened?" She asks me after I offer no explanation._

 _"First off, she doesn't seem like a very pleasant woman. Before she even knew who I was, she was aggrivated. Her standoffish behavior with me earlier may not have just been from homophobia." I tell her, and she continues to look on in anticipation, wanting to know everything._

 _"Right, so I told her who I was, and then asked if Emily could stay for dinner. I didn't get an immediate response, but I did hear whispered voices, sounding as if they were arguing. After a moment she came back on the line and said that was fine, and when should she come get her daughter. I told her 8:00, and got a response of 'fine' before she hung up." I tell my wife, an annoyed look on her face now._

 _"She sounds like a right bitch Maura." She tells me, receiving a glare from me._

 _"Jane, language! What if the children, or worse, Emily had heard you say that?" I scold her, and she looks around briefly before answering me._

 _"Oh relax, they didn't. Plus, I'm sure Emily knows her mom is one."_

 _"You have no way of knowing that my dear." I say to her, wiggling my feet so Jane will start massaging them again._

 _"Yea, well she's not the brightest either. Not that we would_ ever _do anything, but if your child was over at someone's house that you didn't necessarily agree with, would you be rude to them on the phone and hang up on them while your kid is still at their house?" She asks me, and I tilt my head in agreement, equally finding her behavior odd._

 _"That is true, I don't know why she did that. You may be somewhat correct in your assumption about her." I respond, and Jane gets a smirk on her face, looking at me as if to say_ I told you so.

 _"Well, we'll just have to show her that Emily being here is a great thing. We're good people, our son's a wonderful young man, and her daughter would benefit greatly from knowing us all." I tell Jane, a look of satisfaction aimed directly towards her. She gives me an acknowledging nod, and soon we go back to our previous activities._

 ** _Basically 8:00 pm on the dot..._**

 _Laughing at something Jane just said, I make my way to the door in response to the knock that just occurred upon it. I open the door to see a classically handsome man who appears to be in his early thirties. I immediately know this is Emily's father, because she looks just like him. He confirms this once he speaks.  
_

 _"Hi, I'm Emily's father Arther. You must be Lucas' mother ." He says, reaching his hand out for me to shake. I happily do, this man's positive energy impossible to ignore. He just has a glow about him, one of those people who just lifts everyone up with their presence._

 _"Please, call me Maura, and come in." I say, stepping aside so he can make his way into the house. He thanks me with a polite smile and enters our home, looking around in admiration._

 _"This is a lovely home." He tells me, following me into the kitchen area._

 _"Thank you, we quite like it here." I tell him, coming to stop in the kitchen near him._

 _"Can I get you anything? Water, wine, soda?" I ask him, ever the polite house guest. He shakes his head at me at the same time as he answers._

 _"Oh no, thank you though. I'm just here to pick up my daughter." He says with a polite smile._

 _"Of course, she's just upstairs with Lucas." I tell him, before turning towards the living room where Jane is looking at us from over the back of the couch._

 _"Jane, honey, could you go get them for me please?" I ask her, and she nods her head, getting up from the couch slowly. She walks over to the foot of the stairs, looking up them before calling out to our son._

 _"Lucas! Emily's father's here, come down bud!" She yells, to my slight annoyance. She turns back around and gives me a smile as she heads over to where Arthur and I are standing. Once she's close enough, she reaches her hand out to him as she introduces herself._

 _"I'm Jane, Lucas' other mother." She tells him with a smile, and he eagerly accepts her handshake._

 _"Nice to meet you Jane, I'm Arthur." He says politely once more. His attitude and behavior is a stark contrast to that of his wife's. He generally seems happy to be here talking with us, not uncomfortable at all._

 _"I wanted to let you both know how sorry I am of my wife's behavior earlier. It's something that we've been working on, but we still have a ways to go." He tells us, looking from Jane and back to me. It's almost like he knew what I was thinking._

 _"Oh you don't need to apologize." I tell him, but he shakes his head at me._

 _"No, I do. I love my wife to death, but she's rather prejudiced. When she came home and told me that Lucas had two mom's and that she didn't want Emily hanging around here anymore, it made me mad. We actually argued for a while about it, and she finally gave in. I know she's unhappy about it, but I told her that not allowing our daughter to have a friend just because he has two loving mothers instead of a loving mom and dad, that that was horribly wrong. I personally think it's great, it's progressive, and it shows that love comes in so many different forms." He says, shocking both my wife and I. Before either of us can continue, he starts up again._

 _"I also feel as if Emily hanging around your son will be good for her, on account this being a smart environment." He says, and elaborates once he sees the look of confusion on both our faces._

 _"It's no secret who you are Doctor Isles. I'm actually a doctor myself, and I've followed your work rather closely. I've read all of your published works, and I have to say I think you are simply magnificent. I am a true fan." He says, and I can't help but blush. I like this man more and more as the minutes pass._

 _"I'm sorry, I have to ask, why is it that your wife is so against your daughter being friends with our son? And in my experience, if you have a parent like that, it usually extends throughout the entire family." Jane says, not necessarily sounding defensive, but rather more concerned than anything._

 _"My wife normally is a sweet woman. She volunteers at the kids school, she helps out family and neighbors whenever they're in need, so she's not a bad person. We just don't agree on our views of the world. She was raised in a small town in Ohio, and her parents were very conservative. I'm not saying it's an excuse, or even right, but it's how she was raised. I actually have a gay cousin that she doesn't get along with simply because he's gay. It makes me angry, but there are so many other things I love about her, that I've not let it get between us. And like I said, I'm working on it with her." He says, and I nod my head in understanding. Jane however, doesn't look as understanding as myself._

 _"So your wife is homophobic, and your okay with that?" She asks, crossing her arms over her chest. Arthur immediately responds to her._

 _"No no no, of course not! Like I said it makes me angry, but she's the woman I love, the mother of my two children. Aren't we supposed to accept the ones we love for who they are?" He asks, looking at us both expectantly._

 _"It's okay Arthur, you don't have to explain yourself to us. It's nothing new, us having to fight to be accepted, and I'm not talking about you. It was just rather strange the way your wife was behaving towards us, and we thought it a bit odd that she would leave her child her with us when she was so against it. The world has come a long way, but there is still plenty more progress to be made before everyone is truly accepting. We don't expect it to happen overnight. Our biggest concern is that Emily will be welcome to spend time with our son, and that if ever they chose to have a play date at your house, that our son won't be judged or ridiculed or treated differently." I tell him, briefly looking to Jane for conformation, receiving a smile from her._

 _"Oh absolutely Maura, Jane. I fully intend for our children to be friends. Like I said, I think it would be very beneficial for my daughter to be friends with your son, in more ways than one. I promise I'll talk to Claudia and make sure she's aware of how you both feel, as well as how I feel. I want this to work out, if not just for my daughter, but also so I can get to know the famous Dr. Isles more, and pick her brain." He says with a smile, and I chuckle at him, feeling the tension leave the room. I turn around as I hear fast paced footsteps coming down the stairs, and see Lucas and Emily bounding towards us. Emily goes straight into her fathers arms and he scoops her up into a hug. Lucas comes to rest next to me, his little arm wrapping around my waist. I wrap my arm around his shoulders and look on happily at the daddy daughter moment in front of us._

 *****End Flashback*****

That was really the beginning of a beautiful friendship between my son and his now wife. All throughout elementary, middle and most of high school they were the best of friends. And then suddenly Senior year they decided to be more. Looking back I could always see it, the love they had for each other, and it makes me as his mother proud that he has such a wonderful woman to take care of him. I've heard stories of typical mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationships, and how normally they're absolutely horrible, but that's not the case with the beautiful woman walking towards us right now. Emily is an outstanding woman, an amazing wife to my son, and a wonderful mother to my two grandchildren. Her and Lucas truly have a beautiful family, and right now in this moment, witnessing them together is making some of the pain I'm feeling take a backseat.

"Grandma!" My sweet granddaughter Sophie calls as she rushes towards me, and I barely have time to open my arms before she's hugging me tightly. I immediately wrap her up in my old arms, feeling her warmth and taking comfort in her sweet smell.

"Hello darling, how are you doing today?" I ask her and I pull back from our hug.

"I'm good grandma. I helped mommy change Li's bum today, but he was super stinky so I ran away." She says, making a face as if she has smelled something awful. I hear Lucas and Emily chuckle beside us, followed by my son making a very typical daddy comment.

"That's my boy." He says in regards to my little grandson Liam, who is laying in his father's arms, looking around at his surroundings. I smile as I take in my family, and know that I'm not alone in this whole thing, that all of them are here for me, and for Jane, and that with them present, I may just make it through this.

* * *

 **Okay there's chapter 2. I'd love if you let me know your thoughts, whether you review or PM or just follow/favorite. Any option will make my a happy writer, inspiring me to get the next chapter out faster, which (hopefully) in turn will make you all happy readers;) Until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hello again readers, how is everyone? I hope you're excited for the third installment of this story. Sorry it took a bit of time, but it's here now so that should count for something right? We get to hear everything from Bella's perspective with this chapter, something that I hope will be good.** **I had a fun time writing this, so I hope you have a fun time reading it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own R &I, I just play around with them for fun ;)**

 **ENJOY!**

* * *

In this life, we're always so go go go. We have places to be, people to see, and things to do. No one person has more or less on their plate than others, but we all think that our day, and what we're doing in it, is more important than any others. We might run a red light, or blaze through that one stop sign. We might even cut off a car or two on our way to work. Life just seems to go, and we all continue to go through the motions, day after day, letting this life rush right past us. One young woman in particular is letting her day start off just like this. She's running late, and her mind is clouded with her over-reactive need to leave the house as quickly as possible.

 **Beacon Hill 8:07 am (one week later)**

"Babe! Have you seen my other heel?" I shout out to Oliver as I frantically toss things around in our bedroom. I'm running really late, I'm supposed to be at the hospital already because Sarah, Emily and I are going to take mom out to the spa, and we have a reservation at 9:00. It was my idea, and it took quite a bit of time convincing my mother to leave my ma's side. It's been two weeks since her accident, and she's still in a coma. It's been rough on all of us, but I think mom's taking it the hardest. She hardly ever leaves the hospital, and if she does, it's only for brief periods of time. I want to be able to take her mind off of things, even just for an hour or so, so I thought taking her to get a spa treatment would really help. It's actually one of our traditions, something that I've cherished since I was old enough to go. Ma of course isn't the girly girl type, but I am, and I know my mother loves that. We do all sorts of girly things together, including going to the spa. Hence why I thought it would help take her mind off of things for a bit.

Me running late however, is not going to help things. I can't for the life of me find my other heel, and our bedroom now looks like a complete disaster because I've tossed everything around. Oliver suddenly appears in the doorway, holding my other Christian Louboutin heel, a crooked smile on his face.

"This what you looking for babe?" He asks, and I sigh out in relief, immediately heading over to him. I take the heel from his hand, rest my other on his bare shoulder, and lean slightly as I put my foot into the heel. I stand back up and grab his face before pulling him into a sweet kiss. I hold it for a moment, loving the feel of his surprisingly soft lips against my own.

"Thank you so much, I almost went crazy." I tell him after I pull away from our kiss. He's smiling at me with the goofy look that he gets when I fry his brain with my sexiness. He looks absolutely adorable, and I momentarily consider being even more late so I can jump his bones right now. I can't let myself however, because I know my mother needs this.

"Rein-check." I tell him as I pull away, searching for my purse so I can leave. He knows exactly what I mean when I say rein-check, and the goofy smile just intensifies on his face as he watches me, no doubt thinking of what we'll be doing tonight once I get home. Today and tomorrow are both of our days off, and I fully intend to spend tonight and the whole day tomorrow in bed with him. Both of us being doctors leaves little alone time for us as a couple, something I hadn't really factored in when I decided to become one. My parents always seemed to make time for each other, so I thought it would be a walk in the park. Oh how I was wrong. So any time we get together we cherish, which is why leaving right now is proving to be rather hard for me. I honestly just want to curl up in bed and make love with him all day long, but the other side of me really wants to cheer my mom up. And right now, she's my main priority.

"I'm sorry baby, I really have to go, but I _promise_ tonight will be just you and me, and we can do whatever you want." I say with a wink, my voice deep and seductive like I know he loves. He wraps his strong arms around me, pulling me tight to him as he plants a very suggestive kiss against my lips. I suddenly get lost in the sensation, finding it harder and harder to leave his embrace. Sadly, my phone starts to ring right as our kiss begins to heat up, and I can feel him sigh against my lips. He knows that it's one of my family members calling to ask why I'm not there yet, which means we have to stop kissing so I can answer it, and that I'll be leaving in just a moment. I give him an apologetic look, kissing him one more time, before answering my phone.

"Yea?" I ask, knowing it's my sister-in-law from the ID on my phone.

 _"Bell, where are you? You were supposed to be here like 15 minutes ago."_ Emily says to me, her tone not quite annoyed yet, but getting there. I pull my phone away from my ear quickly so I can read the time, and find that it is in fact 8:15, and I really need to get going.

"Shit, sorry Em, I lost track of time. I'm leaving the house now, and I'll be there by 8:30. That'll give us just enough time to get mom out of the hospital and to the spa." I say into the phone as I rush out the door, giving Ollie one last kiss before shutting the front door behind me and rushing to my car.

" _You better hurry, mom's getting ancy, and she's been wondering where you are."_ I swear into the phone again, mentally kicking myself for running late. I told my mother yesterday after I struggled to convince her to do this, that I would be there bright and early at 8:00 am to help her get ready. Now I'm going to be half an hour late, and she'll no doubt be upset that I broke my promise. I remember the first time I did that to her, and how utterly broken she was when I failed to show up to our mommy/daughter dinner date.

 *****Flashback*** About 9 years ago...**

 _I quietly sneak into the house, not wanting to wake my mothers, as I come home from a late night out with my friends. I was with my friends Tiffany and Jessie, us walking around the mall, heading into stores and looking around for boys. I have a curfew of 12:00 on Friday nights, so I'm just home in time, but my mom's usually go to bed around 10:00 or 11:00, and I don't want to disturb them. I head into the kitchen, straight for the fridge because I'm thirsty and I want a soda. Right as I'm about to grab the door handle I hear a noise next to me and look over to see my ma sitting at the kitchen island. The sight of her startles me, and I gasp as I step back and rest my hand over my heart.  
_

 _"Ma, you scared me." I say to her, but get no response. It's only now that I notice the scowl on her face. She looks rather upset, and I have no idea why._

 _"Where have you been?" She asks after a moment, her tone stern and one that lets me know she's not playing around. I instantly start to panic, thinking that I've missed my curfew. A brief glance towards the clock on the oven lets me know that I haven't, so I'm rather confused._

 _"I was at the mall with Tiff and Jess. We were just walking around and having some fun girl time." I tell her, my voice weak as I do. My ma is an absolute sweetheart, and a really big softly, but she's also_ _ _not_ one to mess with. When she's mad, you have to tread lightly. There have been several times when I was younger where she was somewhat intimidating, and even a little scary. I always begged my mom not to tell ma when I did something wrong because she wouldn't go easy on us. She was basically the disciplinary parent growing up. Mom would lay down the law from time to time, but she was always way more soft than ma. So the look that she is giving me right now is letting me know that I'm in major trouble, and I'm not going to like whats about to happen.  
_

 _"Did you forget about something?" She asks me, her arms folded over her chest. I instantly start playing with my finger nails, a nervous habit of mine, wracking my brain trying to figure out what I did wrong. A sudden movement from the living room catches my eye, and I look over to see my mother standing nervously by the couch. She's wearing a beautiful gown and her hair is all done up and pretty. She looks simply gorgeous except for the tear stains down her cheeks, and the sad look upon her face. My face suddenly falls when realization hits me. Ma must have been able to tell, because she calls me out on it._

 _"How could you forget the mother daughter dinner you planned for your mothers birthday? She waited at the restaurant for 2 hours before she gave up. She came home in tears because she thought you didn't want to spend time with her." Ma says, anger lacing her tone. I look pleadingly from one mom to the other, desperate for the right words to say._

 _"No, mom, that wasn't it at all!" I cry out to my mother, wanting desperately to take the pain away that I caused. I had fully intended upon going to dinner with her. It was my plan after all. I had her dress up all nice, I made reservations at her favorite place, and I wanted us to arrive separately so there would be an air of mystery to it. I cannot believe that I forgot._

 _"This isn't like you Bella. What is the real reason you didn't meet your mother tonight?" Ma asks, her tone less angry this time, but I know she's figured me out. She is a detective after all._

 _"Jessie told me that Brian was going to be at the mall tonight, and that we should all go walk around so we could get to know each other. I got so caught up in that, that our plans just completely slipped my mind." I rush out quickly, rather ashamed of myself. Ma's face falls in disappointment, something that I really don't want to see, but its my mothers face that really gets to me. Her head dips down slightly, as if she's ashamed, and silent tears begin to fall down her face as the most pained expression I have ever seen crosses her beautiful features. Now I know to some, this may seem a bit extreme, but our circumstance is a bit special. You see, it's May right now, and I'll be leaving for the summer to France, spending it with my grandparents so I can experience it before I come back to start school in the fall. This dinner we had planned was more than just time to spend with my mother for her birthday. It was also the last time for three months that she was going to have me all to herself, and after next week, see me at all. I blew this, hard core, and I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself.  
_

 _"Mom!" I call out to her, but she turns on her heels and rushes upstairs, no doubt to go cry in her room because she doesn't want to cry in front of me. I look back to my ma once mom is out of sight, and the look of sheer disappointment on her face instantly brings tears to my eyes._

 _"Ma, I really didn't mean to blow her off, I promise!" I cry out, suddenly overtaken with sobs. Ma has me in her arms in a flash, always a tender-heart when it comes to her kids. She holds me as I cry, softly rubbing my back in an attempt to comfort me._

 _"I know you didn't mean to baby, but you really hurt your mom. You know how hard its been for her to let you leave this summer. The only thing that was even slightly easing her worries was that dinner you guys had planned. She was going to take you to the movies after, and then walk around the park until you absolutely had to come back home. She wanted to make the best of it, and when you didn't show up she called me crying. I actually had to go pick her up from the restaurant because she couldn't drive." My mother's words only serve to break me more, even though I know that wasn't her intention. It hurts, but I need to know, so that I can somehow try and make it up to her._

 _"You really aren't making me feel any better ma." I manage to mumble out against her chest. I can feel her chuckle against me slightly before she answers._

 _"I'm sorry Bell. The only way you can feel better about this is if you go talk to her. You know she'll forgive you no matter what, but you need to do your damnedest to make her feel better too." She says to me as I pull away from her chest. I nod my head at her and begin to wipe the tears from my face. Ma smiles sympathetically at me as her hand continues to rub up and down my back. When I speak next, my voice cracks slightly from all of the emotion._

 _"You don't hate me right?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper._

 _"Bella, I could never hate you. Kids make mistakes, especially when they become teenagers and_ _develop a mind of their own. And as a part of becoming an adult, you have to figure out how to make amends and fix what you can." She says, ever the voice of wisdom. I nod my head at her once more, and start to mentally prepare myself to go talk to my mother._

 _"You got this Bell. Just be honest and sincere, and I know you'll work it out." Ma says with a soft smile. I give her a thankful hug, holding on a moment longer than necessary, and slowly begin to make my way upstairs. Once I reach my parents bedroom door, I stop and compose myself for a few seconds. A faint sniffle coming from the other side of the door however, finally gets me to act. I push the door open and peer inside, spotting my mother sitting cross-legged on the bed as she stares off towards the window. I can see the tear tracks down her cheeks, and the slight shudder of her shoulders lets me know she's done her fair share of crying. I don't think she heard me come in, so I softly call out to her._

 _"Mom?" I ask, and her head whips around to look at her. She immediately starts wiping the tears from her face, trying in vain to remove the evidence of her tears. I clasp my hands together and move towards the bed a bit awkwardly, not really quite sure where to begin._

 _"Mom, I'm so sorry." I say once I step close to the bed, a bit off to the side of where she is closest. She gives me a small smile before patting the bed next to her._

 _"Come here baby." She says, her voice scratchy from crying. I nod my head and crawl up on top of the bed, and am immediately taken into the loving arms of my mother. The act of sheer love suddenly brings on the heavy emotion, and I start crying against my mother's chest. Her arms tighten around me as I cry, and as I feel the subtle shudders of her body, I know she's crying along with me. We carry on like this for who knows how long, until we've cried ourselves out. I feel my mom pull away slightly and plant a kiss on the top of my head. Her lips linger there until I move to break away from her chest, lifting my head so I can look in her eyes._

 _"I really didn't mean to forget about our plans mom, I mean it." I rush out, wanting desperately to make her understand._

 _"I know baby, you're young, you have friends and a life. Who wants to spend time with their boring old mom." She responds, and a sad look falls upon her face, which only serves to make me feel even worse._

 _"No, mom it's not like that at all! I've had a lot going on lately, what with graduating a year early and all, and my brain is just fried. I haven't been able to keep everything straight these past few months. And I know that's not an excuse, but it's what happened. Jessie called, and got me all excited about meeting up with Brian, and I don't know. I guess I just let my stupid teenage hormones get in the way of our plans. And I really wish I hadn't, because I was so looking forward to our dinner date." I say, my emotions getting the better of me once more as fresh tears begin to fall. My mother immediately wipes them away, and pulls me to her once more._

 _"Please don't cry my sweet girl. I understand, you have more going on in your life, and it can be hard keeping track." My mother says soothingly, rocking slightly side to side in an attempt to comfort me. I nod my head in agreement against her, and allow her to comfort me as I slowly cry myself dry. My logical brain is telling me that I should be the one comforting her, seeing as I was the one to upset her. But the little girl in me wants nothing more than to comforted by her mother. And there isn't a woman out there better equipped for that than my mother. We've always been so very close, and I treasure every moment I have with her. That's why this whole ordeal is so hard, on the both us of._

 _After a while I feel her grip on my loosen, and she softly coaxes me back from her chest. She wipes a few more drying tears from my cheeks, and leans in to plant a loving kiss on my forehead, her lips lingering for a few seconds. When she pulls away, she looks at me with such love and adoration._

 _"It's okay sweetheart. I understand you're growing up, and you'll be leaving the nest soon, which is proving to be rather hard for me to accept. But I also know that you'll always be my little girl, and that you'll always need me in some form or another, and that's good enough for me." She says, not in a sad tone, but one of happiness and hope for the future. The fact that I'll be leaving in a week for France, and then school when I get back, is finally starting to hit me. I'll be away from the main people I love for three months solid, then months at a time after that. My mother's have been my constant rock throughout my life, and I honestly don't know what I'm going to do without them._

 _"Don't think on it now baby, let's enjoy this last week before you leave, and then we can worry about school when you get back." Mom says, seemingly reading my mind. I nod my head in agreement and bury myself in her embrace once more. I'm glad that we were able to talk, and resolve the failed evening. And a little while later when Ma comes in and joins us on the bed, the night takes a happier turn as I curl up with my mothers and reminisce about old times until I crawl into bed later on, exhausted, and fall into a deep sleep._

 *****End Flashback*****

"I'm so sorry I'm late!" I call out as I rush into the open door of my ma's hospital room. The three women inside are instantly startled by my loud appearance, but I ignore any sort of complaint as I head right for my mother. She looks the same as she has for the past several weeks. She's still as beautiful as ever, but her eyes have lost their passion, and her hair and skin don't glow quite like they used to. The funny thing about my mother is, even though she is pushing 70, she doesn't look it, and refuses to embrace it. She still dyes her hair that beautiful honey blonde color, and she's in impeccable health so her skin hasn't aged as much as you would expect. She acts more like 50 than 69 and I love it. That's what makes this all so sad though, is that in the last two weeks, she's aged more than she has in the last two years. Ma being in a coma is especially hard on her, and that is why this day is so important. I need to get her out and doing things she loves so she can take her mind off of things for a bit.

I smile down at her, slightly out of breath as I begin to speak.

"I'm sorry mom, I really didn't mean to be late. I couldn't find my other shoe, and Ollie was being really cute and-" I start, but get cut off by her.

"It's okay Bella, I understand." She says in response, a slight smile on her face. I give her one in return, and lean down to plant a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask her, and then look back around to see my sister-in-law sitting in the chair in the corner of the room, and my aunt Sarah standing close by her. I smile at them both and wait for them all to tell me they're ready to go.

"I've been ready since 7:50, so I'm aching to head out." Sarah says, and I blush slightly at her. I honestly never meant to make everyone late, but I have a bad habit of doing that at times. And of course, today of all days, I choose to do it again.

"Yea Bells, we're ready to go." Emily says, giving me an understanding smile. I truly love my brother's wife. She's the most amazing woman I know besides my mom's, and Lucas couldn't have picked a better woman to marry. I give her a smile in return and wrap my arms around her, giving her a loving hug. Soon us four ladies make our way out of the hospital room, with a bit more pursueding for my mother, and head towards Emily's SUV. It doesn't take us long to get to the spa, and we barely make it in time for our reservation. Once there, we quickly get seated, ready to enjoy some pedicures. Mom is on my right side, with Emily on my left, and Sarah on the other side of her. We each have our feet in the bubbling water, relaxing back into our massage chairs. I give a satisfied sigh, and can slightly hear my mother do the same next to me. This plants a giant smile on my face, my plan is working.

"So Bella, how are you and Oliver doing? I haven't heard any news about you two for a bit." My aunt Sarah says, breaking the silence we had going for a few minutes.

"We're good, really good actually." I say, unable to help the cheesy grin that befalls my face. This happens whenever I think about my fiance. I think my brother and I are just really lucky, because we were both able to pick people who were absolutely perfect for us.

"Look at that cheesy grin, this girls got it bad." Emily says, teasing me like she always does. They all know how much I love Oliver, and how happy I am, but I think they all like to be reminded of it from time to time. Especially in light of whats going on with my ma. We all need a bit of happiness in our lives right now, and if something as simple as talking about my relationship with Oliver will accomplish that, then so be it.

"They really are so very cute together. You should see the way Oliver lights up when he sees her. Even if they come over to our house together, and Bell steps away with me for a few moments. The minute they make eye contact again is like he hasn't seen her in years and they've just been reunited." My mother says, earning _oh's_ and _aw's_ from my sister and aunt. I of course blush with embarrassment as I see the lady working on my feet smile too.

"You really do know how to pick them honey. Oliver is one hunk of juicy man meat." Sarah says with a wink and a playful tone. My mouth instantly hangs open as I look at her in astonishment.

"Sarah!" I gasp out, suddenly way more embarrassed than I was before. All I get in return is a fit of giggles coming from all three ladies around me.

"You have a husband, you can't talk about my fiance like that." I say to her, although I do find it slightly hilarious, but only _slightly_.

"Oh please little one. Your uncle Frankie _never_ had a six pack. And he never will. All I'm doing is admiring your choice in a well built and manicured man. It's innocent, and frankly, a compliment." She says, and I have to tilt my head in agreement. Oliver really is a very handsome man. He stands at 6'2", with dirty blonde hair and slightly tanned skin. He has an adorable smile and washboard abs that would make any woman weak in the knees. I feel so very lucky to be able to call him my own, and it makes me feel special that he chose me.

"Love looks good on you sweetheart." Sarah says, and both my mother and sister-in-law nod their heads in agreement. "Watching you and Oliver together is like watching your mom's when I first started dating your uncle. Even though I had Frankie and I was in my own little love bubble, it made me sick to watch them sometimes." Sarah says, a playful smile on her face. This time it's mom's turn to blush, and I look at her with a cheeky smile.

"You and ma were the 'make everyone sick' couple?" I ask her, even though I already know the answer to that question. Even to this day my parents are super mushy with each other. Of course growing up I witnessed them fight, but it wasn't until things with Simon started that they ever really did. They were always so sweet with each other, and it showed me what I wanted in a partner. It taught me what true love was, and I think it was a good part of the reason I found Oliver. I knew what I wanted, and wasn't willing to settle for less. I had my fair share of _frogs,_ as my ma would say, but I came out on top, with an amazing fiance to boot.

"I think we're all lucky in our chosen matches. Aside from Bella who _is_ a Rizzoli, all three of us were fortunate enough to marry one, and our lives have been wonderful because of it." Emily says, earning herself nods of agreement from the other two ladies.

"Weren't you _just_ complaining that Uncle Frankie never had washboard abs Sarah?" I ask, leaning forward to look at my aunt with a teasing expression. She raises her eyebrows at me as if to say _watch it little girl_.

"Just because he was never built like an underwear model doesn't mean he wasn't amazing. Frankie has always loved me so unconditionally, and I must say, is an exceptional lover." She says the last part a little quieter, and with a wink, which causes me to laugh a bit awkwardly.

"I really don't want to hear about you two getting it on, but good for you." I say, leaning back in my chair and relishing in the wondrous massage the lady is giving my feet.

"I just have to say, since we're on the topic, that Jane is an _outstanding_ lover. And she did have glorious abs for my viewing and touching pleasure." My mother says, and I instantly scoff in embarrassment and whip my head to look at her. She has a triumphant look upon her face, looking all accomplished and happy. If I didn't internally jump for joy at her happiness, I would have complained about her purposefully trying to make me uncomfortable.

"Well I must say as well, that Lucas is an excellent male specimen. He can damn near make my toes curl at the drop of a hat. I truly am a blessed woman." Emily says as she winks, attacking me from the other side with embarrassing comments. I really don't want to hear about my brother and mothers sex lives, but apparently I have no choice. Seriously, what have I gotten myself into?

"Are you all trying to make me run screaming out the door?" I ask them, looking from one woman to the next. I purposefully refrain from looking at the woman currently working on my toes. I'm sure she hears quite a lot of weird things in her line of work, but it's still embarrassing for me nonetheless.

"Of please little miss, you love it." I scoff at Sarah as she says this.

"Well at least the part where we complimented your fiance." She adds, and I give her a stern look before relaxing back into my chair. We actually sit in silence for a few more minutes before my mother rests her hand on my forearm and looks at me with a soft smile.

"Thank you honey, I really needed this." She tells me in a quiet voice, and I smile before leaning over to plant a loving kiss on her cheek.

"Of course mom, I wanted to do something special for you. And it's not over yet. After this I have reservations for lunch at your favorite restaurant." Her face lights up as I say this.

" _L'Espalier_?" She asks excitedly, and I nod in the affirmative.

"I hope you're paying miss Dr. Rizzoli-Isles, cuz that place is expensive." Sarah chimes in from the other side of Emily. I shoot her a brief look of annoyance at bringing up money, before answering her.

"Yes, miss cheapo, I'm paying." I tell her, sounding a bit annoyed mixed with a teasing tone. I know my aunt and uncle aren't as well off as the rest of us. With the money my brother makes, I know Emily isn't worried about my choice of restaurant, but Sarah and Frankie are a different story. Being a cop up until retirement, and having five kids, hasn't left them with a whole lot of money. I obviously didn't choose that restaurant because I wanted to make her feel less capable. It truly is my mothers favorite place, and this day is about her. I also figures since it _was_ an expensive place, that I would pay for everyone.

"Honey, you don't need to pay for everyone, I'm fully-" I cut my mother off before she has the chance to finish her sentence.

"Don't even think about it mommy dearest. I am paying for all of you lovely ladies to eat delicious french food, and that is that." I say, leaning back once more in my chair, my tone leaving no room for discussion.

"Well alright then." Emily says a moment later, and I smile. The rest of our time at the spa goes rather smoothly, us ladies enjoying some much lighter chit-chat, and then off to receive our full-body massages. Once done, we all gather back in the car and head towards L' Espalier. Lunch is light, and full of positive conversation, something that makes me tremendously happy. I know mom is still thinking about ma, but I can also see that she's putting in a great effort to enjoy this time I've orchestrated for her. She tells me several times throughout how thankful she is for what I'm doing, and all I can do is give her a hug and a kiss in return. I love my mother dearly, and all I want is her happiness.

"Why are we outside the house?" Mom asks as Emily pulls up outside her house. She's looking at me in confusion, waiting for an explanation.

"I know you haven't been home in several days mom, so I'm dropping you off here. Lucas will be by to get you in a couple of hours, but in the meantime, I want you to relax. Take a nice hot bath, take a nap, eat some food besides cafeteria crap for dinner. You need to unwind and clear your head, I can see how this is messing with you." I tell her, and she opens and closes her mouth several times before nodding her head. I tell Emily to give me a few minutes, and then I help my mother out of the car and into the house. She wraps her arm around mine as we slowly walk up to the front door.

"I really don't need you taking care of me Bella." She says to me as she begins to unlock the door.

"I know mom, but I want to. This whole thing has been really hard on you, and I don't want you to get overwhelmed, you know ma wouldn't want that. She would be super pissed if us kids didn't keep an eye on you." I say, seeing her nod in agreement. Ma being in a coma is hard on all of us, but we know that if she were aware, and knew that we weren't taking care of ourselves, that she would be super upset. If not for ourselves, we have to do it for her.

I help mom get settled, making her promise that she will in fact take this time for herself, and not try and head to the hospital once I leave. She can see on my face that I really want her to stay and relax, so she agrees.

"I'm going to head to the hospital so ma's not alone, and I'll see you in a couple of hours okay?" I ask, giving her a kiss on the forehead and pulling her in for a tight hug. We stand still for a moment, just enjoying our embrace, before I feel her sigh against me. I lean back to look at her, and I see an exhausted and defeated expression on her face.

"You better get back to the hospital, make sure your ma's okay. I think I'm going to take a much needed nap, I can just feel my soft sheets beckoning to me." She says, giving a soft chuckle at her statement.

"That's a great idea mom. Go curl up in your soft cloud sheets and get some rest, you really need it."

"Thank you again for today baby, it was really nice."

"Of course, I just wanted to do something special for you. You can't stay cooped up in that hospital room all the time, you'll go crazy. And plus, your nails were starting to look really bad." I say, and she pinches my arm as punishment for the insult. I laugh and pull her in for one more hug before ushering her upstairs, and only leaving once I hear the soft click of her bedroom door. I quickly head back out to the car and hop in, Emily immediately taking us to the hospital.

* * *

"Thanks again Bell, we had a great time. We'll come check up on you all tomorrow okay?" Emily says as I get out of the car in front of the hospital. I nod my head in agreement and give her a smile.

"Of course, thanks for going with, I know it meant a lot to mom." I say gratefully to them both. It really was nice of them to come out with us and have a girls day. We're all so close, we have been all throughout my childhood and growing up, so it made sense to invite them along.

"It was our pleasure. Take care sweetheart." Sarah says before shutting the door, and Emily drives off slowly. I turn around and look up at the large building in front of me. I take a deep breath to steady myself before heading inside. I feel as if I'm on autopilot as I head towards my ma's room. I don't know for sure why I'm so nervous, I mean she's my _mother_ for crying out loud. I guess it's the fact that since she's been in the hospital, I haven't spent any alone time with her. There's always at least been my mom or my brother in the room, but never just me. I want desperately to have that time with her, and that's why I sent mom home to relax. Now that I'm here though, I'm starting to freak out.

What do I say to her? Can she even hear me? I know studies have shown that neural activity can increase when a comatose person is being spoken to by a loved one. But will she remember? Will she know it's me? These are all things that scare me. I don't want to say anything to upset her, or tell her something important that she won't remember. I just really wish I had my ma back, that she was awake and healthy, back home with mom where she belongs. This whole thing has been like a nightmare. Growing up, me and both of my brothers thought that our ma was invincible. We truly thought that nothing could take her down. We'd on occasion see her in and out of the hospital, but she always came back, good as new. That was one of the things I loved about her, I always felt so safe. I knew that she would protect me no matter what, and that she would be there for me always.

But as I head into her room, and see her lying there completely still, I am reminded of the harsh reality that anything can happen to the people we love. No one is invincible, no matter what you believe. This strong, brave woman was taken down by a stupid drunk driver, something that never should have happened. Not that I want to picture any sort of scenario, but if my mother is to leave this world, she deserves to go out as a hero, doing something amazing like she always has. Not dying in her hospital bed because some jackass decided to get wasted and then head out on the town. It makes me angry, she deserves so much better than this.

"Hey ma." I say quietly as I sit down in the chair right next to her bed, the one my mother usually sits in. I reach out and take her free hand, the one that isn't wrapped up in a cast. I can feel a silent tear makes its way down my cheek as it escapes my tear duct. I don't even bother to wipe it away as I stare down at my broken mother. The bruises on her face are almost gone, a few only leaving behind a faint yellowish color. The more minor cuts are also nearly invisible. She doesn't look quite as bad as when she first got here, but it's not a whole lot better. The machines beeping beside me cast an almost eerie feel over the room. It's gives this place a very clinical feel, like my mother is just another number on a spreadsheet, and that these machines are the only thing keeping her from becoming just another tombstone in the grass. It hurts, it hurts like hell, and I don't know how much more of this I can take.

I haven't discussed it with my mom yet, but before all of this happened with ma, Oliver and I were planning on getting married at the end of this month. We've been engaged for almost 6 months now, I don't want to wait another minute. I want to be his wife, but we can't get married now, not without my ma. She is supposed to be the one who walks me down the aisle. She's supposed to be the one who I cling to until that last second when she lets me go, sending me on the journey of the rest of my life with the man I love. And mom, she's supposed to be sitting in the front row, tears streaming down her face as her baby girl finally gets married. And then it will be her turn to cling to ma as she sits down next to her wife, and together they'll get to witness me join the love of my life in holy matrimony, just like they did all those years ago. I can't do it, not without them both, and if ma never wakes up I don't know what I'll do.

I'm suddenly very aware of the intense amount of tears falling down my cheeks. My silent tears are damn near creating a pool in my lap, and I realize that I'm gripping ma's hand rather hard. I look at her, really look at her, and am instantly overcome with the sensation to just talk. It's like I feel compelled to share stories with her.

"Do you remember that time that you and I snuck out of the house and took the train to New York to see Monster Jam? And how pissed off the boys were when they found out?" I ask, and am overtaken with the memory of that amazing day.

 *****Flashback*** - About 10 years ago...**

 _"I can't believe we did this!" I cry out in excitement as we get off the train at Penn Station. I turn around quickly to look at my ma, and she has a giant smile on her face._

 _"I can't believe it either bug. I think your mom is going to kill me." She says, looking slightly worried. I rush over and grab her arm, pulling her along towards the exit._

 _"It'll be fine, just clean the whole house and rub her feet for a month and she'll forgive you." I say, hearing her chuckle behind me. Normally, being the girly girl that I am, you would think that I wouldn't want to go to a show such as Monster Jam. And if you were to judge my outward appearance then yes that would be true. But for some reason, and I'm pretty sure it's because ma is my mother, I absolutely love it. I love it especially because I have different things that I can bond with each parent about. I have my mother to do all the girly things with, like shopping and dressing up, hair and make up, those sorts of things. But I happen to like sports as well, and I'm able to bond with my ma over them. It really is the best of both worlds._

 _"What makes you think that I'm the only one she's going to be upset with? You know she knows how persuasive you are. If Bella Rizzoli-Isles wants something, nothing can stand in her way." Ma says, and I stop our forward momentum to turn back and glare at her._

 _"You wouldn't." I say, trying to sound threatening, but I don't think I do a very good job._

 _"I won't have to missy. Your mother is a very smart woman, too smart actually. She'll know right away this was just as much your doing as mine, and we'll both be in severe trouble." She says, and I think for a moment, knowing the validity of her statement._

 _"Then we'll just have to make the best of it. If she's going to kill us when we get home, then lets treat this day as our last, and live it up in New York City!" I cry out, pulling her forward once more. At the ripe age of 16, I am a very smart young woman. I get it from my mother, and from the comment my mother makes next, I know she agrees with my suggestion._

 _"You're right Bells, let do this!"_

 *****End Flashback*****

"That was such a fun day. Sitting in those stands and watching the trucks fly around and crush things. It was amazing, and it was even more enjoyable because it was with you. It makes me sad to think that we haven't done anything like that in a while." I say to her, my voice turning sad at the end of my sentence.

"I know I've been busy with work and planning the wedding. But that's no excuse. We found a way to make time for each other before, we can do it again." We sit in silence for several minutes more, me holding tightly to her hand as I sit. A chuckle suddenly escapes my throat at a certain thought.

"I love how I was so afraid when we were on our way home. I was shocked that you were so calm and collected. I thought for sure that you would be freaking out just like me, but little did I know there wasn't a shit storm waiting for us when we got home. You made me believe that mom had no idea where we were, and that we snuck out. And I actually really liked that part. It made me feel like you and I were rebels, off on the run together." I pause and sigh at the memory.

"Mom knew the whole time, because you both talked about it the night before. One side of me thinks that's adorable, that you and mom were so good together that you told her everything. And that's how it should be, but the kid part of me was disappointed." I chuckle once more and give her hand a small squeeze. I pause for a moment more, gathering my thoughts, before speaking my next words out quietly.

"She needs you ma. She's damn near lost without you, and us kids don't know what to do." I feel a single tear fall down my cheek.

"You need to wake up and be here for her, hold her in your arms once more and keep her safe." I whisper, more tears falling down my face. I lower my head and rest it upon the rail of her bed, silently crying for what seems like hours. I startle briefly when I feel a hand come to lay upon my shoulder. I look up through tear stained eyes and see my mother smiling sadly down at me. I immediately stand up and wrap my arms around her. She does the same, holding me tightly to her. As another hand comes to rest upon my back, I know that it's my brothers, and I take solace in his touch. Even though this is a sad moment, ma being in her bed like she is, at least we have each other. There is so much love in this room, and it gives me hope. It gives me hope that, no matter how this all turns out, that we'll be okay. That we have each other to get us through.

* * *

"Hey baby, I didn't hear you come in." Oliver says, coming out of our master bathroom. He's freshly showered, standing before me in only a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Sorry, I just barely got here." I say to him, my voice not as vibrant and happy as it was this morning. He immediately picks up on my mood, and makes his way over to me on the bed. He sits down next to me and takes me into his strong arms. I immediately curl up into him, relishing in his refreshing smell, feeling instant comfort.

"Did today not go how you wanted?" He asks a moment later, his hands moving softly up and down my back. I pull back from our embrace slightly, knowing he won't be able to hear me if I keep my face against his chest.

"No it did. We had a great time at the spa, and then lunch was good too. I dropped mom off at her house and then made my way over to the hospital." I tell him as he listens intently.

"I wanted some alone time with ma." I say softly after a moment. He gives me a knowing look. Reaching up, he brushes a few strands of my hair behind my ear, and then responds to me in a sympathetic tone.

"I know you've been avoiding alone time with her. How did it go?" He asks.

"It was good, I guess. I talked to her about an old memory of mine, and then about how she needed to wake up and be here for mom. The emotions quickly got to me however, and I spent the rest of the time crying until mom and Luke got there. Then mom held me while I cried even more. It was very therapeutic, but now I just feel drained." I can see his face fall for the briefest of moments, but he immediately schools his features. It wasn't quick enough however, and I know that my words got to him because he was hoping for some lovin' tonight. He's an amazing man, and I know he would never make me do anything that I don't want to, and as he kisses my forehead before standing, I instantly feel bad. I told him we would be intimate tonight, and I feel like I owe it to him now.

"You should get some rest then baby. I'll head downstairs and get a start on dinner while you take a nap." He says lovingly as he heads towards our closet. I stand up and follow him inside, intent upon showing him how much I love him. First, I pull the towel from around his waist, leaving him completely bare before me. I only have a few seconds to admire his amazing ass before he whips around, shocked by my actions.

"Baby, what are yo-" He starts, but I cut him off with a kiss. I mold my body to his as I reach up to wrap my arms around his neck. It takes him a moment to respond, but then his arms are around my waist and he's kissing me back with fervor. I can feel him hardening against me, but before this can progress any further, he pulls away from me, keeping me at arms length.

"Bella, what are you doing?" He asks, slightly out of breath. He looks absolutely adorable with his swollen lips and confused expression.

"I promised you that we would be intimate tonight, and I wanted to keep that promise." I say before attempting to kiss him once more. He keeps his hold on me however, and shakes his head no.

"Baby, you don't need to do that. You're exhausted, and you need to rest. I don't want you to have sex with me because you think you're obligated. I want it to be a mutual act of love and passion between us both when we feel the mood strikes." He says softly, and I can instantly feel myself fall more in love with him. I've always known he was an amazing man, but each and every day he does or says something to re-affirms that for me.

"You're the woman that I love, my soon-to-be wife. You mean way too much to me to allow you to do something like that. Plus, it wouldn't be enjoyable for me if it wasn't for you." He tells me, and a loving smile starts to form on my face.

"You're amazing, you know that?" I ask him, and he joins me in plastering a loving smile on his face.

"I know, but it doesn't hurt to hear you say it." He says playfully, and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms tightly around his back, and rest my cheek against his chest. He holds me for several more minutes before suddenly pulling back and leaning down to scoop me up into his arms. I squeal in shock at this, and find myself being carried back out into our bedroom. He carries me over to the bed, still naked mind you, and gingerly sets me down on our bed.

"Ollie, what-?" I ask, and am instantly shushed with a sweet kiss.

"Take a nap my love. You need your rest, and when you wake up, I'll have a nice warm plate of food ready for you." He says quietly. I smile up at him as he tucks me in, and admire his amazing rear end as he makes his way back into the closet to get dressed. I don't recall seeing him come back out, as I am way more exhausted then I thought, and I fall asleep almost instantly. This day has been rather emotionally exhausting, finally spending some alone time with my mother and really acknowledging what happened to her taking its toll on me. I don't regret it at all, but I am going to need some time to heal and prepare myself to approach this in a new way. As much as I hate to say it, I have to at least somewhat plan for the worst case scenario. If ma never wakes up, Luke and I are going to have our hands full with taking care of mom, and not to mention ourselves. I need to be mentally tough for that, and I'll start this by getting some much needed rest.

* * *

 **Thoughts?**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN:** **Hey readers, I'm back. I know it took me a bit to get this up, as usual, but I'm here now. Now, as I'm sure you've all figured out and are most likely waiting for, this is Simon's chapter. I'm a bit nervous, but it was fun to write, so I'm hoping it'll be fun to read.**

 **I also want to take a second to thank all of you who are still reading. It means so much all the support I've been given since I started Maura's Confession. This story has been my baby, and I've loved writing each and every chapter. All of the follows, favorites and review have meant so much. I'm glad something that came from my mind can make people so happy to read, it really is wonderful.**

 **Sorry to keep you waiting, so without further ado, I hope you all ENJOY chapter 4 of Tears!**

* * *

Families are an interesting thing. We all have them, most of us love them, but at the same time we can't stand them. Everyone falls into a particular place in their family. Are you the over-achieving first born who feels they have to live up to their parents expectations? Or are you the attention hog who runs by their own rules. Are you the parent who feels lost and hopeless, or the one who feels they have to bare the full weight of everyone's problems? No? Well then you might be the under-achieving youngest, who not only lives by their own rules, but also doesn't feel like they've ever measured up, so why bother. Thus is true for one individual we're about to follow, someone who's lost their way, and may never find the path to come back home.

* * *

 **Apartment Complex, Paris Street Boston, MA (one week later...)**

Incessant buzzing wakes me up, the sunlight from the window instantly blinding me as I open my eyes. I groan out in discomfort as I roll to the side to shield myself from the harsh light. I come into contact with Mia's unconscious form as she's lying next to me. Her naked flesh greets me and a smile forms on my face as I remember last nights activities. My happy thoughts are interrupted however as the need to piss suddenly takes over. I whip the blankets off my own naked form, shivering slightly as the cool air hits me, and hobble off towards the bathroom to relieve myself. Once finished, I head back out to the bedroom in search of some clothes. I smack Mia on the ass as I pass her, calling out to her as I do.

"Yo, babe, time to get up." I say, and am rewarded with a groan from her. We have plans this morning that I don't want to miss. It's been a few weeks since my ma's been in the hospital, and I want to go see her. I haven't been back since the first night, but I feel it's about time now. I don't really want to run into my mother, that's why I've waited so long to go back, but I feel it's most likely unavoidable. She's always there, never leaving her wife's side. I obviously get that, but it makes it hard for me to go see the mother I care about, which aggravates me. Why should I have to suffer because she can't head home for a bit?

My brother has been filling me in on what's been going on in my absence. At least someone cares enough to let me know. My mother is too wrapped up in ma, and Bella's just a self-centered brat who thinks she's too good for me. She instantly became mom's favorite when she decided to become a doctor. And I know she did that on purpose, wanting to be the golden child. Bella has always wanted attention. She thrives on it, and being the little adopted brother that I am, I got left in the dust and forgotten. I haven't had a decent conversation with my sister in years. It didn't always used to be like this though. We used to be the best of friends, inseparable actually. She was my big sister who I looked up to, and I knew that I could always count on her to be there for me and protect me. I can recall a certain memory where that was particularly true.

 *****Flashback*** - About 17 years ago...**

 _"It's okay Sim, I promise I won't let anything happen to you." Bella says quietly as we hide under our ma's desk in her office. We both have dentist appointments today so ma brought us to work with her, and she was going to take us later. We were just sitting on the floor playing games when a few loud noises rang out downstairs. Ma instantly jumped up and made us go under her desk. She said that we have to stay put and that she'd be back to make sure we're okay. Then she grabbed her gun and went out the door, locking us in as she did. That was like fifteen minutes ago, and several more loud sounds have happened since she left. All the power went out too, and now both Bell and I are hugged together under ma's desk. I'm really scared, I don't know where ma is and what's happening, but Bell keeps telling me that she'll keep me safe.  
_

 _"Where's ma?" I ask her, looking at her with tears in my eyes. I wipe at them, not wanting my sister to see me cry, but she just pulls me to her._

 _"She's fighting the bad guys Sim, just like she always does." She tells me, and I can tell that she's trying to be tough for me, but that she's just as scared as I am._

 _The sound of a few more bangs suddenly scares me and I find myself burying me head against my sister's shoulder. Even though she's 10 and I'm 8, I know she'll keep me safe. She's always kept me safe at school when stupid kids try and pick on me. She'd yell at them or beat them up and then make sure they never picked on me again._

 _"It's gonna be okay, ma's gonna get the bad guys, I just know it." She whispers as she rubs the back of my head with her hand. Things go quiet after that for a while. I don't know how long we stay under ma's desk, but suddenly I hear scraping noises and the door opens, causing us both to tense up until we hear a familiar voice call out to us._

 _"Simon! Bella!" Mom calls, and she sounds scared, so we both quickly come out from under the desk. Once I see my mom standing in the doorway, I rush over to her and into her arms. I feel Bella right behind me, and mom wraps us up into her arms._

 _"Oh thank god!" Mom says, and I feel her hug get tighter._

 _"Maura!" I hear ma call out from behind the door, and once I pull my head away from mom's chest, I see ma come into the office._

 _"They're okay Jane." Mom says to ma, and they kiss before ma pulls us all into her arms._

 _"Thank you for keeping your brother safe Bella." Ma says to Bella a few minutes after she comes in.  
_

 _"Of course mama, I always do." She says back to her._

 _"You are such a good big sister honey." Mom says, and then she kisses us both on the forehead, one at a time._

 *****End Flashback*****

The memory of my mother instantly carries me out of my thoughts and I have to shake my head. That was a day that scared my whole family. Two gunmen had made their way into the precinct and shot up the place. My ma told me later that if they hadn't been prepared for something like that, it would have been much worse. She told me about a time where the same thing happened, and uncle Frankie almost died, would have actually if my mother hadn't saved his life. I guess after that, they were always more prepared for an attack on the place.

My mother had a hard time letting us leave the house for a while after that. I don't really blame her, and at the time I myself didn't really want to leave. I was so grateful for Bella, being there to keep me safe and make me feel protected. I know she got that natural instinct from our ma. And Bella really was the next best thing to ma. I love my brother, but he's a bit on the softer side. He's more like our mother, he doesn't like confrontation and he stays out of peoples business. He did keep me safe in his own way, but he never made me feel as safe as Bella. And I know that's odd, seeing as she's a girl, but if you grew up with my mothers, you would never question the strength of a woman again.

Thinking about her makes me sad, knowing that she's lying helpless in a hospital bed right now, stuck inside her own head. I of all people understand that that is not a good place to be stuck. She has demons from her past, as do I, that have a nasty habit of haunting you when you close your eyes. I worry about what she might be seeing behind those eyelids. I know we have no way of knowing that, and she could be silently suffering right in front of us, which really sucks.

"Hey babe." Mia says suddenly right next to me, breaking me out of my thoughts. I look over in time to see her naked ass walk past me and into the bathroom. I admire her as she goes, and only after she's shut the door do I realize that I'm standing in front of my dresser, holding some clothes that I have yet to put on. I was lost in my thoughts for longer than I thought. I quickly dress and manage to finish right in time for Mia to come back out of the bathroom. We switch places as she heads for clothes and I go into the bathroom to brush my teeth and do my hair.

"Is your mom going to cause problems when I show up at the hospital?" Mia calls out to me as I put the finishing touches on my hair.

"Probably, but who cares. You're my girlfriend and I have a right to bring you." I respond to her, and I can just picture the smile overtaking her face at this moment. Mia simply loves when I say things like that, when I chose her over my family. They've never gotten along, for some strange reason my whole family hates her, but she's my girlfriend, the woman I love. I would be stupid not to side with her.

"I love you baby." She says, pulling me to her as I come out of the bathroom. She plants a deep kiss on my lips and wraps her arms around my neck. I moan into her mouth, loving the taste of her.

"I love you too." I say with a goofy smile as we pull back from our embrace.

"You better." She says sassily before walking away, giving me a wondrous view of her ass as she goes.

"How long before you're ready babe?" I ask, wanting to get a head start on this day. Suddenly, an idea comes to me and I head to my bedside table to grab my phone. I head straight for my contacts and click on my brothers name. It rings like four times before he picks up.

"Hello?" Luke says, his tone sounding borderline annoyed.

"Sup bro?" I ask, choosing to ignore his attitude.

"Just helping Emily get the kids ready for school." He responds.

"Sounds boring." He doesn't respond to this, so I decide to continue.

"Well, anyways, I was calling to see if you could get mom away from the hospital today. At least for a couple of hours."

"Why?" He asks, his tone still bordering on annoyance.

"Because, I want to go see ma." I say, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world, because it is.

"Why can't you just go see her with mom there?" Okay, now I'm the one who's starting to get annoyed.

"That's a stupid question, you know why." I snap at him. I love my brother, but he can really be a dick sometimes.

"Yes, I know why, and I think it's ridiculous. You'd think that now of all times, you'd put your stupid petty grievances away and make amends with her. She's done nothing but love since she took you in, and this is how you repay her?"

"Did you not get laid last night or something? Damn dude, you really need to be getting more, maybe then you wouldn't be such a dick." I say to him, not intending to lose my cool, but he really is pissing me off right now.

"Very funny Simon. You're deflecting, and frankly its pathetic. I really have had enough of your attitude. I refuse to help you continue to hold onto your grudges. You need to man up and go talk to mom. Air out your crap and put it behind you." I swear I see red as he says this. Well, I guess it's time to end this lovely conversation.

"Well, it was nice chatting with you too bro." I say, not giving him a chance to respond before I hit the end button. I turn and throw my phone as hard as I can towards the bed, finding no satisfaction as it bounces briefly across the blankets before settling, unharmed, in the middle of the bed.

"What was that about?" Mia asks as she comes back in the room carrying her shoes. She sits down on the bed and begins to put them on as she waits for my response.

"My dickhead of a brother is refusing to help me." I tell her, starting a slow pace back and forth in front of the bed.

"I don't even know why you bother. Your brother is an asshole and you know that." She says, and I have to nod my head in agreement.

"We don't need him baby. We'll get to the hospital and tell your mother to leave, and refuse to back down until she does, simple as that." Mia says, coming up to me and taking my face in her hands. She looks me in the eyes, a smile breaking out on her face, and I smile against her lips and she kisses me.

"Come on, lets go. I want to get this over with so we can head over to Vinnie's." She says as she steps away from me and heads towards the door. It takes me a second to tear my eyes away from her, but when do, I quickly grab my phone, keys and wallet, and follow her out the door.

* * *

"Simon?" My mother asks, sounding shocked, as I walk into my ma's hospital room. Before I have a chance to tell her not to, she's up and wrapping her arms around my neck. I stand stock still as she hugs me, not really sure of what to do. Suddenly I find myself overwhelmed with the smell of her perfume, a scent that I've known my whole life. A smell that instantly takes me back to my childhood when things were simpler, and I absolutely adored my mother.

 *****Flashback*** - About 20 years ago...**

 _Finally finishing my picture, I decide that I want to show my mommies when I get home so I rush over to the wall of back packs and find mine. I open up the zipper and carefully put my picture inside, a happy smile on my face. I just know my mommies are gonna love my picture that I drew of our family. I even drew Cooper, he's my best doggie friend. As I start to zip my back pack up, I smell something that makes me smile even bigger. I turn around and see mommy standing in the doorway to my class, and she has a smile on her face too. I start running towards her, and crash into her arms as she leans down to catch me.  
_

 _"Mommy!"_

 _"Hello handsome." Mommy says to me as she hugs me. I can smell her pretty perfume and it makes me happy. I love when I smell this smell. It makes me think of love and family._

 _"What are you doing here mommy?" I ask her after a minute of hugs. She looks at me with smiles and I think about how pretty she is._

 _"Did you forget already? It's our special mommy son day, and I'm taking you out for lunch." She says to me, and I can't stop myself from jumping up and down. I totally forgot that she said we could go to lunch today._

 _"Yay!" I cry out and she laughs at me being cute._

 _"Just let me go tell your teacher that I'm taking you, and then we can go."_

 _"Okay mommy." I say to her all happy._

 _I watch my mommy walk over to Mrs. Matthews, and then a run back over to my desk so I can say goodbye to Ethan, my best friend._

 _"My mom's here, and she's gonna take me to lunch so we can't play tag today, sorry." I say to him, and he looks over at my mommy, who's talking to my teacher._

 _"You're lucky Simon, my mom never takes me to lunch." Ethan says and I look at him, confused by what he means. My mommies always take turns taking us to lunch. My ma took me to lunch a few weeks ago, and I got to play in a ball pit and eat a yummy cheeseburger. I won't get to do that with mommy, but I think I can get her to buy me ice cream if I ask nicely enough. She always caves and lets me have what I want if I ask nicely._

 _"Yea Simon, you're mom is really cool. My mom doesn't care about taking me places. She always says she's too busy." Susie says from the desk in front of me._

 _"I'm never too busy for my baby." Mommy says as she walks up to us. I look up at her and give her a smile._

 _"Ready to go sweetie?" I nod my head at her and she smiles down at me._

 _"Have fun kids." Mommy says to my friends, and then takes my hand as she walks us towards the door. We get all the way out to the car and then she opens the door for me so I can get in and buckle up. She gets in the driver's side and starts the car._

 _"So, where would you like to go today honey?" She asks me, and I get super excited cuz usually I don't get to pick._

 _"Really?" I ask her, and she nods her head at me._

 _"Can we go to Mickey's Burger House?"_

 _Mommy takes a minute to answer, but then she smiles at me and I know she's gonna say yes._

 _"Yes we can, but you can't tell your ma I took you there. I won't hear the end of it." I throw my hands up in victory._

 _"Yay!"_

 _I love it when mommy comes to get me for lunch, cuz we get to spend time just me and her. When we're home, there's always ma and Lucas and Bella. I don't really ever get to spend time with her, but with lunch I do. She always lets me order my own food when we go, and she buys me ice cream and lets me eat it in the car. It makes me feel special and loved. She's a really great mommy._

 *****End Flashback*****

"Simon!" Mia's harsh voice brings me back to the present, and I have to shake the weird feelings from my mind. I focus on my mother in front of me, no longer hugging me, a confused expression on her face. Next I look over to my girlfriend whose staring at me with annoyance.

"You zoned out there for a second, it was weird." She says to me with her arms folded across her chest.

"Honey, are you okay?" I hear my mother ask, bringing my attention back to her. The feelings of intense love and adoration I had as a small boy are lingering, messing with my head, and I'm about to say something when I feel Mia smack me on my arm.

"Simon, what the hell, stop being weird." She snaps at me, giving me that little push I needed to get my thoughts in order.

"Sorry baby." I say to Mia before stepping around my mother who is staring at me expectantly. I walk over to the bed and stare down at my ma, the sight before me breaking my heart. Now granted, she looks much better than I remember when I was here several weeks ago, but she still looks like shit. Not even remotely close to the badass woman that I know and love. Even in her old age she always managed to look awesome, at the top of her game. Right now she just looks old and sad. I hate that this happened, and suddenly my rage gets the better of me and I turn back towards my mother.

"Why the hell did you guys have to fight, huh?" I says with a raised voice. I can see shock overtake her features before something close to guilt replaces the shock.

"I don't know, it all just happened so fast." She says, not even bothering to look me in the eyes.

"That's the best you've got, really?" I ask, clear annoyance lacing my tone. I can't believe I used to idolize this woman in front of me.

"Simon, you have to know that I never meant for any of this to happen. I love your ma very much, and things just got out of hand-" I decide to cut her off before she can feed my any more crap.

"I really don't want to hear your sob story okay? Can't you just got hit the cafeteria for a while until Mia and I leave?" I say to her, turning my attention back to ma. I don't actually get a response from my mother, she just slowly turns and heads out the door, something that makes me very happy. I really didn't want to have to continue to argue with her. I actually got lucky this time, because normally she would sit and argue till my ears bled.

"Good job baby." Mia says to me after mom leaves, wrapping her arms around my waist and resting her chin on my shoulder.

"You're ma looks so old." She says after a brief bout of silence, us both staring down at her.

"I know, its throwing me off hard core. She usually looks so strong and put together. It's almost as if this isn't my ma, like some alternate version of her, where she wasn't such a badass and she aged normally." I say, really just speaking out loud more than directly to Mia.

"I remember when I was like 9 or so, and Luke and I convinced her to make us a treehouse. We decided we wanted one and kept badgering her until she finally relented. Now, we had to help her, mind you, but it was just the three of us building it. It was actually a rather great bonding experience for us." I say, my mind suddenly taking me back to that time.

 *****Flashback*** About 16 years ago...**

 _"Are you sure you don't want me to call Uncle Frankie and see if he'll help us?" Lucas asks ma as all three of us struggle to get the wood into the backyard, ma especially._

 _"No way boys, we've got this." Ma grunts out as she sets, or more like tosses, several two by fours on the ground._

 _"Really, cuz you look like you might die ma." I say to her, not being able to stop myself. This earns me a glare from my mother, a warning to not mention her age. I really want to however, because she's like 53 or something. I kinda think this was a bad idea for Lucas and I to ask her to build this for us._

 _"Plus, what's uncle Frankie going to do except take up room and eat all of your mother's cooking?" Ma says, and both Lucas and I nod our heads in understanding._

 _"Yea, I guess that's true." Lucas says, and all three of us chuckle._

 _"I want this to just be me and my boys. I might make you two do more of the heavy lifting, but we've got this. We're Rizzoli's we can do anything. And you two have the Isles intelligence, so I'd say we're all set."_

 _"Yay!" I say, cheering us on, and Lucas gives a smile before we get back to work. It doesn't take us too long to get all of the wood from the trailer ma rented to the backyard. We immediately get to work on cutting the pieces to the right sizes and getting them laid out so we have an understanding of where they're to be on the tree. After several hours of working, we all hear a voice that makes us smile._

 _"How are my babies doing?" Mom calls out as she makes her way over to us. She has a plastic grocery bag in her hand, and I can see the outline of Gatorade bottles in there. We all stop what we're doing and run over to her, taking the bag and pulling out the flavor that we want. I grab the blue one while Lucas grabs the red, and mom smiles down at us the whole time._

 _"Jane, honey, you need to stay hydrated." Mom says to ma, who gives her a kiss on the cheek before taking the last bottle in the bag, the purple one._

 _"Ah, I see my boys know which flavor I like." Ma says proudly._

 _"Actually honey, I know what flavors you all like, so there wouldn't be any fighting over who gets what." Mom says to her._

 _"And that is one of the many reasons why I love you so much." Ma says back, and leans in to give mom a kiss on the lips. Both my brother and I groan at their display of affection._

 _"Gross, go get a room!" Lucas says to them, but it only makes things worse. Ma seems to push her face more against mom and then she dips her to the side all romantic like. Mom squeals in shock, but then starts kissing ma again. Lucas and I both turn our heads away, not wanting to see them kissing all nasty like._

 _"You should know by now boys, your mom and I can kiss wherever we want, its our house." Ma says after a minute, and she sounds all smug. When I turn back around to look at her, I see her face reflect this, as she has a smug smile on her face._

 _"Oh Jane, don't tease them. You guys need to get back to work if you want to have this treehouse done by the end of the weekend." Mom says to us, and we nod our heads at her._

 _"And Jane, you make sure you take it easy. I don't want you pulling any muscles, I need my wife nice and healthy for later." I swear I see mom wink at ma after she says this, and my brother groans next to me, so I know I really don't want to understand what mom means by that. And, the goofy grin on ma's face helps to add to that, so I grab Lucas' arm and pull him back towards the tree where we were nailing the steps in place along the trunk. We do this for a couple more minutes before ma finally joins us._

 _"Sorry boys, where were we?" She asks, and finally we all get back on track to getting the tree finished."  
_

 *****End Flashback*****

It took us that whole weekend, and several bruises and cuts, but we got our treehouse put together. It was the source of so much fun throughout my childhood, and it was a blast being able to do it with my ma and brother. It's actually where I had my first kiss, but we won't get into that right now.

"Seriously Simon, are you going to keep zoning out on me?" Mia asks in an annoyed tone, once again pulling me from my thoughts.

"What? Oh sorry baby. I guess I got pulled in thinking about my ma." I say to her.

"Well knock it off, it's really starting to annoy me." Mia commands, and instead of acknowledging her, I just shut up and turn my attention back to my ma. After having spent so much time with Mia, a guy just kinda learns when and when not to respond. I've pretty much trained myself at being her boyfriend, and it seems to work rather well for me. Now, I love Mia, at least to some extent, but she can be a bit much at times. We've actually called our thing off several times in the last 5 years that we've known each other. My family doesn't know that I've ever done that. They just assume that Mia has been my girlfriend since I graduated high school. I honestly don't know what keeps pulling me back to her, because she really can be a bitch. I don't know, I mean, she's super hot, and a freak in the sheets, so that definitely helps. She knows me, and she accepts me for me, unlike my family. Either way, it's not something simple, so I pick and choose my battles. And nine times out of ten I choose to just shut up and go along with whatever she wants.

"So, I was thinking, after we're done here, we should head over to Fred Meyer and pick out my ring." Mia says after several minutes of silence. I shoot my head in her direction, surprised by her words. Yes, we have talked briefly about getting married, but I haven't actually asked her yet. She's more just assuming on this one right now.

"Oh don't give me that look. You know you want to marry me, and you also know how important the ring is to me. That is why I want us to go to the store together so I can pick out the one that I want, and then you can ask me later." She says, or more like commands, looking at me with her pouty look that she knows I can't say no to.

"Baby, I know we talked about it briefly but-"

"No buts, we're going." She cuts me off with her commanding tone, effectively ending this discussion. I have to grit my teeth to keep from saying something, knowing that I don't want to fight standing in my ma's hospital room while she lies comatose next to us. Mia gives me a cheesy smile, no doubt happy with herself for winning this argument, like she does all of them actually. I decide that right now, I want to spend time with my ma, even though it's all one sided, and ignore my demanding girlfriend. Its easier that way, and talking to my ma will help calm me down, it always has.

 *****Flashback*** About 13 years ago...**

 _"I'm gonna kill you Lucas!" I cry out at my older brother as he takes off running up the stairs. I instantly rush after him, but am stopped by my ma as she grabs me in her strong grip._

 _"Whoa whoa whoa, whats going on?" She asks me, struggling to keep me in her grasp as I attempt to free myself._

 _"Let me go." I growl out through my teeth, not caring that I'm most likely going to get in a lot trouble for this. I just want to get upstairs and kick my brothers butt._

 _"Not until you tell me whats going on." Ma says to me, keeping her voice calm and collected. I choose to ignore this however, and manage to break free from her hold, instantly making a break for the stairs._

 _"No you don't!" Ma calls out, and before I even know whats going on, she has her arms around me once more, and I'm being lifted into the air, ending up on the couch._

 _"Explain, now!" She says with her authoritative voice. I decide that for now I'll play along and get her to let me go. I guess I can wait for several minutes to hurt Lucas._

 _"Simon." Ma says as a warning that I better start talking._

 _"Lucas is a jerk and deserves to have his butt kicked." I say, unable to keep my anger at bay, something that I've always struggled with._

 _"And why is that?" Ma asks._

 _"He took my limited addition Spider Man comic to school without asking me so he could show his friends, and then let Andy borrow it!" I says, my words turning to more of a growl towards the end, the anger becoming too much for me to hold back._

 _"So you thought that chasing your brother upstairs would be a good idea?" She asks, not sounding mad, just genuinely curious._

 _"He didn't even tell me ma! I just noticed that it was gone when I got home, and when I asked him if he'd seen it, he just shrugged his shoulders and told me he let Andy borrow it. I got mad and then so did he, so I told him he was a jerk and to get it back. That's when he started laughing and took off running towards the stairs." I say, my breathing starting to become labored with my rage. Ma can clearly see this, as she puts her hands on my shoulders and looks me in the eyes._

 _"Hey, it's okay buddy, calm down. I'll make sure he gets it back for you, and I will talk with him about this." Ma says in a reassuring tone. I can slowly feel myself calming, but not fast enough._

 _"Why does he have to be such a dick?" I ask, and ma raises her eyebrows at my choice of words._

 _"Don't let your mom hear you talking like that." She says, and I can't help but chuckle._

 _"And he's your older brother Sim, it's his job to be mean. Just like it's your job as his younger brother to be annoying. I know that doesn't excuse his behavior, but that's why, at it's most basic form." Ma says sympathetically, and I know she's right. Doesn't mean I agree with it though._

 _"Hey, listen. Do you really want to go up there and try to beat him up? Chances are he'll get the drop of you cuz he's older and stronger, and then you guys'll start really brawling. That leads to bodily injury, which your mother will not be happy about, and then you two are mad at each other for a long time. Is that really what you want?"_

 _"No." I mumble after a minute of not saying anything._

 _"Good. Now, let me go talk to your brother, and trust me he's not getting off scott free, and I'll get him to come apologize so you can work it out." Ma says after my mumbled response._

 _"Okay. Thanks ma." I say to her, leaning in for a hug. She eagerly hugs me back and I smile against her shoulder._

 _"What are ma's for right?" She asks playfully as our hug breaks. I watch with a smile as she heads upstairs, knowing that she's going to let Lucas have it, which makes me very happy._

 *****End Flashback*****

I chuckle as I remember back to that night. Ma had gone upstairs and spoken to my brother, who actually ended up crying to her, which of course is something I find hilarious. I guess she wasn't rude to him, but her words struck a cord with his girly emotions and he felt bad so he started crying. He had tears in his eyes when he came down to apologize to me later, telling me he'd get my comic back first thing the next day. Back then I was still a push-over so I forgave him and never made a stink, so essentially he got away with it. That doesn't really bother me now though, as I have bigger things going on in my life to worry about than a score kept with my brother about arguments won. He'd probably just tell me I was a selfish asshole like he likes to do anyways.

"Man ma, I really wish you would wake up, I could really use some of your expert advice." I find myself suddenly saying to her. I know she can't hear me, but it feels good to speak anyways. And Mia seems to have occupied herself with a magazine in the corner so I think I'm good for a bit.

"You were always the only one who understood me and stood up for me, and now that you're in here I really feel all alone. It's like you were the glue holding this family together, and now it's all falling apart. Bella freaking hates me, Lucas is just a righteous ass, and we both know how I feel about mom." I say to her, feeling myself getting emotion as I do. I quickly wipe at a stray tear I feel fall from my right eye, glancing over to make sure Mia didn't see anything. Accepting that she didn't, I turn my attention back to my ma.

"I don't know what to do ma, I feel so lost." I whisper to her, not wanting my girlfriend to hear me. I don't know why I'm suddenly so emotional, but all of the feelings I struggle to keep inside on a daily basis are beginning to make their way to the surface. It's almost like I have no control over them right now, which is something I really don't like. I pride myself on keeping them hidden, because then I don't have to deal with them and what they mean. Plus, isn't it fine to keep them hidden? If you ignore them and act like they don't exist, they go away right? I'm really starting to wonder, and I'm about to ask ma when I hear the door to her room open up. I turn and look towards it to see my brother and sister walking into the room. Lucas has a suit on as usual, and Bella is wearing scrubs, which means she's on rotation right now. Also, the fact that they are hear at the same time means they coordinated, and of course didn't invite me.

"Simon." Lucas says in way of greeting, sounding almost robotic.

"Lucas." I respond back in the same tone, finding myself glaring at each of my siblings. Out of the corner of my eye I see Mia stand up and begin to make her way over to me. At the exact same time, both of my siblings catch site of her, turning their heads to watch her movements. Instantly Bella whips her head back towards me, a very annoyed look on her face.

"What the hell is _she_ doing here?" She asks with so much disdain to her tone.

"Nice to see you too princess." Mia snaps, knowing her words would just further upset my sister.

"Shut up bitch!" Bella yells at her. And of course Lucas immediately chimes in.

"Bella, watch your language." He snaps at her, receiving a glare that would scare any man into submission. I honestly feel really bad for her fiancé. I bet that son-of-a-bitch is super whipped.

"Simon, lets go." Mia says, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door. I follow, but look longingly back towards my ma, not wanting to leave her just yet. However, another yank on my arm from Mia causes me to finally leave the hospital room, whether I like it or not.

"I wasn't done in there yet." I complain to her as we make our way down the hall towards the exit.

"I don't care, I didn't want to sit and listen to your bitch of a sister insult me anymore." She responds, not looking back at me.

"I didn't either, but I wanted to at least get to say goodbye to my ma. I mean, what if this is the last time I get to see her?" I ask, my voice breaking a little at the end. This gets Mia to stop pulling me along, and instead she looks at me sympathetically. She reaches up and cups my cheek with her right hand.

"I'm sorry baby, I didn't think about it like that. How about we head back to the apartment and I make it up to you?" She ask, her voice turning flirtatious. I can't help but smile, knowing exactly what she has in mind, and suddenly I don't feel so bad about leaving. In response I lean down and plant a promising kiss on her lips, pulling away with her bottom lip between my teeth.

"Lead the way m'lady." I say with the same flirtatious tone.

* * *

 _Everything's dark as I make my way down the hall towards my parents bedroom. I was sleeping in my bed when I heard a crash, and it woke me up. I laid scared in my bed when I heard it again, and then my mommy screamed. I instantly threw the covers off my body and made my way towards their room. I can see through their bedroom door that is half way open, a man standing there that isn't my daddy. He's holding something in his hand that I can't tell what it is, but he holds it up like he's going to throw it. I jump a little when I see my daddy charge the guy, grabbing the hand that's holding something. They struggle for a little while, but when my daddy sees me standing in the doorway he stops, giving the man time to get his hand free._ _At the same time as I see the man move his hand, I see my daddy's face scrunch up in pain, and he makes a sound before falling to the ground holding his stomach._

 _"Daddy!"_

I spring up in bed as I'm ripped from the dream, panting hard as sweat drips down my neck. I look around and notice that I'm in my bedroom, naked, and Mia's nowhere in site. Its dark outside, and as I look at my phone I realize that it's around 3 am. I take a couple deep breaths and lay back down, resting my arm across my eyes.

That damn dream, the same one I've been having since I was four years old, it won't stop haunting me. It was really confusing when I first had it, because of course I thought that like my brother and sister, that I just had two moms. I had told them about my dream, as any young boy who loved his mothers would, and was given a brief and vague description of what happened to me. Even after they explained it, I still didn't understand until a couple years later when Bella said something to hurt me. It was the weekend of my 6th birthday, and I had made big plans with my nona, something that I had been looking forward to for a long time. She was set to come and pick me up for a day out, just the two of us. The year before she had made it a thing to take both my brother and sister out on their birthdays, so I figured, this year was my year.

Now, Bella and I had gotten into a fight earlier in the day, over something really stupid actually. I think I had taken one of her barbies and fed it to Cooper but I can't remember for sure. Either way she was still really mad at me, and apparently wanted revenge.

 *****Flashback*** About 19 years ago...**

 _I'm sitting on the couch, patiently waiting for my nona to get here so we can start our day out for my birthday. I made sure that I got all ready so we can leave right when she gets here. I brushed my teeth, I combed my hair and put on nice clothes. I even ate all of my breakfast like a good boy. Now all I have to do is wait for nona to get here, and then we can leave._ _I'm sitting on the couch in the living room, bouncing in place with excitement, when Bella comes walking up to me._

 _"You owe me a new barbie." She says to me, her arms folded over her chest._

 _"No I don't." I say, and then stand up to look out the window, hoping to see nona in the driveway. Bella grabs my arm and pulls me away from the window._

 _"Yes, you do Simon. You gave Claudia to Cooper and she was my favorite barbie. It's your fault she's dead, so you owe me a new one." She says, and she's glaring at me._

 _"Bella, I didn't mean to give her to Cooper, I'm sorry." I say to her, really meaning it._

 _"Sorry isn't going to bring her back Simon, you have to buy me a new one."_

 _"I can't Bella, I don't have any allowance yet, mom said I'm too young remember?"_

 _"Well then you better ask for it, because I want Claudia back."_

 _"No!" I yell at her, suddenly not wanting to be bossed around anymore. She actually looks shocked at me yelling at her, but I fold my arms and stand my ground. Bella is about to say something back when mom comes walking into the room. I look at her and my face lights up, hoping she has something to say about why nona isn't here yet._

 _"Mommy! Is nona on her way yet?" I ask, completely forgetting about Bella. In my excitement I don't yet notice the sad look on mom's face._

 _"Hey baby, would you sit down for a minute?" She asks me, so I nod my head and sit down._

 _"So, your nona just called and told me that she's not going to be able to make it today." Mom says, and looks at me with sad eyes. I don't say anything at first because I don't really know what to say._

 _"Why?" I ask after a bit._

 _"She didn't say honey, I'm sorry." Mom says._

 _"Well... can we go tomorrow?" I ask, hoping that she says yes._

 _"I don't think so baby, I'm really sorry. Nona wanted to come and take you out, but some things came up and she can't make it."_

 _"But, she took Bella and Simon out for their birthdays." I say, feeling tears welling up in my eyes. I really wanted to go out with nona today. It was what I was looking forward too since forever._

 _"I know baby." Mom says, not doing anything to make me feel better._

 _"But, why does Bella get to have a birthday with nona but I don't?" I ask, my voice raising slightly in frustration._

 _"Because, she's not your real nona!" Bella yells at me, her face all red like she's mad._

 _"Bella!" Mom snaps at her, and I look confused at the both of them._

 _"What does she mean mommy?" I ask my mom in a small voice. Mom sighs out and waits for a second before she answers me._

 _"Do you remember when you were four and you had that nightmare? After you told your ma and I we had a conversation about where you came from?" She ask, and she looks at me with a sad look again. I try and remember back to what she's talking about, and it takes me a second but then I remember a dream I had about my daddy getting stabbed by a bad man. All the tears that welled up in my eyes suddenly fell and I start really crying._

 _"Are you not my mommy?" I ask, looking at her through my tears. She immediately takes me into her arms and holds me tight._

 _"Of course I'm your mommy Simon, don't you ever think otherwise." She says, running her hand through my hair as I cry against her chest._

 _"But I had a daddy and a mommy already. What happened to them?" I ask, pulling away from her._

 _"Let's not talk about it right now okay honey. I think your ma needs to be here when we have this conversation again. Why don't you head back upstairs and go play in your room. I need to talk to your sister." Mom says as she wipes my tears away. I nod my head and give her another hug, feeling her kiss my head._

 _"I love you Simon, and you_ are _my son, remember that." She says, and I nod my head again before getting up to head to my room. I look at Bella and she has a frown on her face. She looks like she wants to say sorry to me, but she stays quiet as I walk past. As I start to walk up the stairs I hear mom start talking to her, and she sounds mad._

 _"Why would you say that to him Isabella?"_

 *****End Flashback*****

Later that day I had a conversation with both of my mothers, and they explained to me again that I was adopted when I was one. They told me in a gentle way that my biological parents were killed, and that they found me hiding in the closet when they came to the crime scene. After that day I started to have those nightmares again, every once in a while, and I began to struggle with being adopted. Of course my parents never made me feel different, but I couldn't help it. I felt like I didn't belong, even if it was only under the surface. Bella apologized to me afterward, and I eventually got to have my day with nona, but the damage had already been done.

"Hey baby, I got a mad case of the munchies, can we head to the store and get some stuff?" Mia asks as she comes walking into our room. I remove my arm from over my eyes and look at her. She's wearing the shirt that I was earlier, and nothing else. I smile as I look at her gorgeous form, and gesture with my arm for her to come to me. She gives me a smile in return and makes her way to the bed, crawling into my arms when she does.

"Mmm, I missed you when I woke up." I say to her after several juicy kisses.

"Sorry baby, I didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful." She says, and I refrain from letting my features change at her words. She doesn't need to know that I had another nightmare. It always bothers her when I do, but I haven't had one for several months so it hasn't been an issue, and I most definitely don't want to make it one.

"It's okay, I'm a big boy." I say, and she gives me a mischievous smirk.

" _Yes you are_." She says playfully, and I smack her on the ass in response before planting my lips back to hers.

"Stop, I want to go to the store, and if you keep kissing me like that we won't leave this bed." Mia says after a moment of heavy making out. I groan out at her words, but reluctantly let her leave the strong embrace of my arms.

"Fine, lets get dressed and go to the store. I have a few things I need to pick up anyways." I say, and she smiles happily at me before jumping out of the bed to get ready. I slowly get out of bed and follow suit, getting dressed quickly. Once dressed I head over to my desk to grab my wallet and keys. I spot them both laying on the pile of sketches I've been working on. My buddy James is starting up a business and wanted me to draw him up a few logo ideas because he knows I like to draw. It's actually been really fun working on them for him, even though I have to do it when Mia's not around. It's not that she doesn't want me drawing, but she thinks my time would be better spent doing something else besides that.

"Ready." She says, suddenly standing right next to me. I give her a kiss and pocket my things before leading her out of the house.

* * *

"Alright, I'm going to go grab a few things and I'll call to find out where you are when I'm done." I say to Mia after we get inside the store. She nods her head and gives me a kiss before walking off towards the food section. I sigh as I watch her go, knowing that she's going to take forever grabbing everything that she wants. Once she's out of site I head towards the pharmacy, needing to grab a box of condoms. We used the last one earlier and I most definitely don't want to get Mia pregnant. After grabbing the condoms I head to get some deodorant and body wash, both things I'm out of. I notice razors and shaving cream as I do, and grab them as well, which brings all of the items in my arms to an annoying amount. I guess I should have grabbed a basket.

I remember that they have small stacks of baskets randomly throughout the store at the end of certain isles, so I go in search of some. I finally find some at the end of the Home Appliance isle. I quickly grab one and put all of my items inside, turning around to head in the direction I think Mia might be. As I look up I notice that I'm right in front of the baby section, and my eyes zone in on my sister and her fiancé standing in front of different lotions and what not. They're both wearing their scrubs so they must have just gotten off work. Deciding to be a snoop, I head over towards them, careful not to be spotted, until I'm close enough to hear what they're saying to each other.

"Don't you think we should tell your mom?" I hear Oliver say, instantly peaking my interest.

"You know we can't Ollie!" Bella snaps at him. Typical.

"Why not? If she knows that you're pregnant she'll most likely insist that we get married, like we originally were planning before your ma got hurt."

"My mother's not like that, she won't insist that we get married. It will just add to the insane amount of stress she's already under. And I don't want to do that."

"Plus, my ma deserves to find out at the same time." Bella says in a much softer tone after a bit of silence. I have a hard time hearing her, so I crane my neck closer.

"I get that baby, but I know this is killing you to keep a secret. You deserve to be happy Bella, and telling your mom that she's going to be a grandmother will make you happy, I know it." Oliver says in a gently tone, sounding like such a whipped tool.

"I can't Oliver, just drop it okay? Once ma gets out of her coma we'll tell them both that we're pregnant, and then we can plan the wedding, but not a minute sooner." Bella says in a stern tone to him, and I can hear her start to walk away. I take this as my cue to make my presence known, walking around the corner to come face to face with my sister.

"So, you're preggers huh?" I ask, a devilish look on my face. I can't help but laugh as all the color drains from Bella's face when she realizes she totally boned.

* * *

 **Sorry about the cliffhanger. You'll have to tune in next time to find out what happens with them. Also, if you feel like it, and you want to be nice, you can totally hit the review button below and let me know what you thought of this chapter. Just saying ;)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey all, here we go again. I won't take up much of your time with mindless words. I know all you really want is to read the story. I will say however, that I hope you enjoy this one, as I had a blast writing it for you ;)**

 **ENJOY!**

* * *

Siblings. Isn't that a funny word? The dictionary would tell you that a sibling is _one of two or more individuals having one or both parents in common; a brother or_ _sister._ It's actually a bit more complicated then that. A sibling is either someone you rely on, or someone who relies on you. They come to you for advice, they seek your approval, or want to be just like you. They can also be a colossal pain in the ass. Especially when they call you in the wee hours of the night, so that you can use your superior sibling powers of problem solving and help them out of whatever jam they are in at the moment. One such encounter is about to take place, and you'd be crazy to miss it. Need I say more?

 **Beacon Hill 4:12 am (Still April... but barely)**

Incessant buzzing slowly begins to rouse me from my slumber as it gains volume. I open my eyes and look over at my phone on the nightstand. I groan as I reach over and grab the offending item, noticing that it's my sister calling, and it's 4:12 in the morning. I slide the bar across the screen and put the phone to my ear, not happy that I have to answer at such an early hour.

"Hello?" I mumble into the receiver, mindful of my sleeping wife as her head rests against my shoulder.

"Lucas, thank god, you answered!" Bella practically yells in my ear, causing me to wince at the intense volume.

"What do you want Bella?" I ask, not at all trying to hide the annoyance in my voice.

"Shit, sorry, it's like 4 am isn't it?" She asks, and I just stay silent letting her know I agree, and I'm annoyed.

"Well, since I've already got you on the line, I need to talk to you." She rushes out, clearly not caring so much that she's woken me up, even though she knows full well that I have work in the morning.

"What is it that you want Bella?" I ask again, this time raising my voice slightly.

"Simon overheard something that he wasn't supposed to, and now he's threatening to tell mom, which I absolutely _cannot_ have. I need your help." She rushes out quickly, only serving to confuse me.

"Wait, what?" I ask as I slowly begin to untangle myself from Emily's embrace. I sit up in bed and wait for Bella's response.

"I was at the store with Oliver, we had just gotten off of our shift, and we were having a conversation, a very _private_ conversation. I mean, it's 4 am, who the hell is at the store that late at night? Well beside me and Ollie."

"Get to the point Bell." I say in an aggravated tone.

"I had no idea that Simon was there, but when I turned to leave the isle we were in, there he was with this shit eating grin on his face. We got into an argument, and he told me he's planning on telling mom, no matter that I begged him not to."

"Well, what was it that you don't want mom to know?" I ask, getting up off of my bed as I sense that this conversation isn't going to allow me to go back to sleep anytime soon.

"I don't want to tell you over the phone. Can you meet me at the corner diner and we'll talk?" She asks, and I sigh, knowing my prediction was correct.

"Fine, give me like 15 minutes." I say, heading for my closet so I can put on some clothes.

"Thanks bro, see you soon." She says before hanging up the phone. I groan once more as I set down my phone and begin searching for clothes. I love my sister to death, but sometime she can be a real pain in the ass. She's always been an attention hog, but it's all I've ever known so I'm used to it. It's just hard to still be at her beck and call now that I have a family of my own. Isn't that what her fiancé's for? Although, she did say he was with her, so I guess he's unable to help at this point.

I get dressed quickly and head back out to wake Emily. I really don't want to have to wake her up, but I can't just leave the house without telling her. I sit down on the edge of the bed next to her and rest my hand on her side, giving her a light shake. I know it will wake her up, she is a mom after all. I smile down at her as I see her eyes open slightly and focus on me.

"What's wrong baby?" She asks in a husky voice laden with sleep. I rub my hand across her stomach as I continue to smile down at her.

"Nothing's wrong hon, but I need to go meet Bella for a bit. I just wanted to let you know I was leaving, and that I'll be back as soon as I can." I say sweetly to her.

"Is Bella alright?" She asks with concern, and it makes my heart beat that little bit faster for her. Emily has always been so very compassionate, and she simply loves my sister to death. They've been great friends ever since I can remember, and this fact makes me so very happy.

"She's fine honey, but she wants to talk so I'm meeting her at the diner to hear what she has to say. I promise I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay baby." She says with an adorable half smile. I lean down and plant my lips lovingly to hers, lingering for a moment before breaking away reluctantly. Emily turns back over as she mumbles to me.

"Be safe."

"I will honey." I respond, quickly grabbing my keys and wallet and heading out of the house.

* * *

"Okay, what was so damn important that you had to wake me up at 4 am to talk?" I ask as I sit down in the booth across from my sister. She actually looks a little nervous, which sobers my anger some.

"I really am sorry about this Luke, I just really needed my brother." She says, and she sounds more like the little girl I used to keep safe, rather than the amazing woman she's come to be.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I ask, reaching my hand across the table to rest atop hers.

"I have to tell you something, as it pertains to my crisis, and I'm not 100% sure how you're going to take it." She says, causing my eyebrows to raise up in confusion. I'm starting to worry now, my anger having completely vanished.

"What is it Bell?" I ask in what I hope is an encouraging tone.

"So, as you know, I was at the store with Oliver earlier after we'd gotten off of our shift. We were just grabbing some random items for the house, and a few things to eat, when I stumbled upon a certain isle." She says, and I stay silent, giving her a chance to continue on.

"A couple weeks back I found out that I was three and a half weeks pregnant. I was in the baby isle with Oliver having a conversation about telling mom." Bella finally tells me in a quiet tone. Both of my eyebrows shoot up in shock before I find my voice.

"Congratulations Bella, that's amazing!" I say excitedly, giving her hand an encouraging squeeze. She gives me a small smile, clearly relieved by my reaction, but I can tell that she has more to say.

"Before mom got in her accident, Oliver and I had decided that we wanted to get married at the end of this month. We were actually going to talk to mom's about it the weekend she got hurt, but for obvious reasons, we haven't. Oliver really wants to tell mom, and I don't. I don't want to add to her stress levels, and I feel as if ma deserves to hear the news at the same time as mom."

"And Simon overheard your conversation and now he's going to tell mom to be an ass." I say, coming to the conclusion before she has the chance to tell me. She just nods in the affirmative and lowers her head slightly.

"God that kid can be a dick sometimes." I mumble out, frustrated with my little brother, yet again.

"That's what I keep trying to tell mom, but she won't let me speak ill of her precious Simon." Bella says, and I can clearly hear the disdain in her voice. And I know that if you weren't privy to our family issues, you would think that she's just rude, but that's not the case. Granted, she can be a bit harsh with her words at times, but it's because her heart is essentially broken. Bella and Simon were insanely close growing up. She was his protector and best friend, they did almost everything together. So you can imagine when Simon started to pull away, and then turn into the man he is today, she was crushed. She hasn't handled it well, choosing to lash out and say harsh things, but that's just her coping mechanism.

"I know it's frustrating Bell, but you can understand where she's coming from. I mean, he is her son." Bella just glares at me, letting me know that she understands, even if she doesn't like it.

"You should have seen his face at the store Luke, he was so happy that he'd overheard something he could use against me. His grin was just so horrible, I hardly recognized him. And no amount of begging or anger from me was going to get him to agree to keep quiet. He's absolutely loving that he can tell mom and hurt both of us. Seriously what kind of brother would do that?" She asks, her voice raising at the end.

"I hear you Bells, I do. I can go to his apartment tomorrow and see if I can't talk some sense into him." I say, and her face lights up.

"You'd do that for me?" She asks, almost as if she's shocked, like I haven't been an amazing brother to her all her life. Well, most of her life.

"Of course. Now I'm not guaranteeing what his reaction will be, and what he'll agree to, but I promise I'll try." I say, and gasp in shock as Bella is all of the sudden practically in my lap, hugging me tightly.

"Oh thank you Luke, so much! You really are an amazing brother. At least I have one." She says as she pulls back from our hug. She has a sad look upon her face, and it breaks my heart. I wish there was more that I could do for her, but sadly this is all up to Simon, and I doubt he'll change any time soon. I settle for a soft kiss on her forehead, hoping to convey love, and also let her know that I'm here for her.

We decide to eat some food since we're both here, and settle in after taking our orders for a much lighter conversation. We talk about what she expects from becoming a mother, and the wonders of parenthood. We talk about her excitement to finally get married and start her life with Oliver. We also fit talk of my family in too, and pretty soon the intense emotions from earlier are set aside, not totally forgotten, but no longer dwelled upon. It's almost 6 am when I finally get home, and it takes me only but a moment to decide that I'm going to skip work and get some rest. After that I'll get ready and go see my brother, something I hope will have a positive outcome.

* * *

I knock on the apartment door several times, and surprisingly only have to wait for less than a minute for the door to open. I am greeted with the site of my brother, a pencil loosely hanging out of his mouth, and a surprised look on his face.

"Hey Luke." He says, his tone surprisingly even and not rude. I really was expecting some sort of rude comment or reaction.

"What's up bro?" He asks expectantly as he doesn't get a response from me right away. He steps aside, allowing me inside the apartment, which I willingly accept.

I decide not to answer his question for a minute, wanting to get inside the apartment before we start arguing. I find myself walking towards his kitchen, and I spot some papers and drawing supplies lying on the counter. My curiosity gets the better of me and I walk up to take a look at them. It's several drawings of what appear to be logo concepts, and they're really good.

"My buddy James is starting a business and asked me if I'd come up with a logo for him." Simon says, coming up to stand beside me. He has a somewhat nervous look on his face, like he's afraid of what my reaction will be, though why, I have no idea. His drawings are really good, and I express as much to him.

"These are really good bud." I say, using the term of endearment that I haven't used in several years, shocking both Simon and myself. Growing up, I used to call him bud all the time, I picked it up from my ma. It was just what I called him, but after things started to go south, I felt that it no longer applied because he wasn't my buddy anymore.

"Thanks." He says, moving to grab the papers, no doubt wanting to hide them.

"Have you thought about doing stuff like this as a profession?" I ask, making a specific move to stop him from hiding his sketches. I want to take a better look at them, and I can't do that if he puts them away.

"Not really, there are better things I could be doing with my time." He says, and the frown on his face, accompanied by the forced tone of his voice, lets me know that this isn't _his_ opinion. I don't want to point fingers, but a certain woman that none of my family likes is most likely the source of said opinion.

"No really Simon, these are really good, you have a natural talent for this stuff." I say, and a hopeful look befalls his face.

"You really think so?" He asks, and his face is suddenly shining with boyhood excitement, a look I haven't seen grace his features in years. I decide instantly that I want to keep that look on his face for as long as I can.

"Absolutely! I know I'm just a lawyer, but I've seen my fair share of artwork in my day, and logos for that matter. You really have something here, and I'm not just saying that since you're my brother. I am genuinely impressed bud." I say, and internally jump for joy when I see him beaming back at me.

"Honestly, I would love nothing more than to be able to do this for lots of people and make money doing it." Simon tells me.

"Well then why don't you?" I ask, which I find is more than a fair question. If you're good at something, and you'd really like to be doing it for a living, what's stopping you?

"Mia thinks that my time would be better spent working some other way, you know, a more normal job." He tells me, and the smile that was on my face completely vanishes. Of course, I should have known that that stupid woman would be behind this. What I don't get though, is in the first five minutes of talking to my brother about this, I could see how happy this made him. If the woman who professes to love him so dearly can't see that, then something is severely wrong with her. Or she's just a selfish bitch. Probably both of those things are safe to assume about her.

"Really Simon? You're going to let her talk you out of being happy because she can't understand that a man can make money in so many different ways." As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I can see him close up. When my tone went on the offensive towards his girlfriend, his walls went up, and I know I'm dealing with the new, not improved Simon now.

"She loves me, and she knows that wasting my time chasing a pipe dream like making a living with art, isn't something I should be doing. She needs a man that can provide for her, give her the things she deserves." He says, rather defensively.

"And you don't think you can do that by creating logos for people? Lots of people do, they're called _Graphic Designers_ , and a lot of them make a killer living. You could easily be one of them Sim." I say sincerely, hoping to get my point across in a positive way. He looks at me skeptically, and I can't tell if he wants to get mad again, or let it go. I get my answer when he scoops up his drawings and puts them inside the sketchbook. Out of sight, out of mind I guess. At least he's not getting mad again. Not yet anyways.

"So what brings you over here brother." He asks after everything is put away. His tone is more clinical, and I'm not sure how to take this.

"Okay... well I wanted to come talk to you about Bella. She said you overheard something that you now plan to divulge." I say, choosing to get right to the point. He scoffs at me and rolls his eyes, something that isn't a good sign of how this will play out.

"I should have known you were only here to do Queen Bella's bidding. God forbid you actually want to spend time with me." Simon says, his tone that of annoyance and pain.

"It's not like that Simo-" I start, but he cuts me off before I can finish my sentence.

"Then what is it like huh? Conveniently the next day after I overhear Bella's conversation, here you are. You never come by to visit me or invite me to things." He says, and for a moment I catch a glimpse of that vulnerable little boy again. But just as quickly as it appears, it vanishes, only to be replaced with anger.

"You know what, why don't you just leave? Yea, that sounds like a fantastic idea." He says, his voice dripping with sarcasm and disdain, catching me off guard. His emotions are everywhere today, and it's really starting to worry me. I choose not to argue with him, he's already unstable enough. Instead, I give a soft sigh and head towards the door.

"I really wish this wasn't the case Simon. I miss my brother." I say to him as I walk out the door. I hope my words make an impact, but I can't tell by the look on his face if they have or not. I give him one last pleading look before turning and heading back to my car. I get in and start it up without looking back, sighing as I put my car into drive and take off back towards home. My thoughts are consumed with my brother the whole ride home. I was so hopeful at the beginning of our conversation. I could see it heading in a positive direction, well that was until the mention of that damn woman. I honestly don't know how he can't see that she's toxic to him. She's rude and demanding, she clearly has no real concern for his happiness, and I just all around can't stand her. Before Mia, my brother was an outstanding young man. Granted, he had his issues, but we could have gotten him help for them. He loved his family, mom included, and he was on track to make a great life for himself. It all really fell apart when he met Mia. I get it, a pretty girl paying attention to you, it's hard for any man to resist. I mean, the same thing happened to me, but Emily is an amazing woman. Mia, _not so much_. At first she just took up all of his time, we didn't really get to see him that often, but we chalked it up to a new relationship and all the feel good emotions. Of course they wanted to spend time together, and I couldn't begrudge my brother that. It's when she started talking to him about his future, and convinced him to run away to Argentina with her and forget about school and his family that things really started to go bad. She even pushed him so far as to steal from our mother after she cut him off from his inheritance.

Mom wasn't too happy that he chose to go travel instead of get an education. Both Bella and I had done it or were doing it. My mother herself has many degrees and education under her belt, so it's safe to say that it was very important to her. Seeing her youngest throw away his future was something she simply couldn't do. Couple that with him pulling away from her, and her being unable to help him with his nightmares, it damn near killed the woman. The only thing that kept her sane was ma. She convinced mom to only take away his access to the family fortune instead of putting him into a place that dealt with child anxiety and repressed memory issues. Ma claimed that was way too drastic, and that Simon only needed to see a therapist and have our love and support behind him. To say that Simon was pissed about this decision is an understatement. They had many a screaming match over it until he finally stole the money and ran off with Mia. It broke mom's heart when he did this, and it took a long time for her to come to terms with his decision. I don't think she ever really did, she just sort of came to realize she couldn't change it.

It was only every couple of years at a time that we saw him after that. It's been about five years since it all went down, and I've only been able to see him a handful of times. Right now has been the longest period of time that he's been back, and he could easily pack up and leave at any moment. I don't think he will however, because he still has love and respect for ma. It's been both sad and a blessing that she is the only thing keeping him here. I hope that I can use this to my advantage and finally talk some sense into him. It won't be easy however, if earlier was any indication of how things will go.

I sigh as I pull into my driveway, glad to be home, but also emotionally exhausted. It's not even lunch time yet and I've already drained myself for the day. The only thing keeping me from heading up to bed is the gorgeous woman sitting on the couch, holding our magnificent son in her arms as she feeds him. I immediately walk over to them and sit down on the couch next to Emily. She smiles at me before I lean in to give her a gentle kiss. Next, I lean down and plant a loving kiss on Liam's forehead. He stares up at me as he sucks away on his bottle, his little eyes so deep and angelic. I can already tell that he's going to look like his mother, he has her eyes.

"How'd it go?" Em asks, breaking the spell Liam seemed to have over me. I look up at her as I sit back against the back of the couch, giving out another sigh before I answer her.

"Like I expected it would, only it started out hopeful." I say to her, receiving a questioning look in return.

"We got to talking about some drawings he was doing, I guess a friend of his wanted a logo. He drew some things up, and he's actually really good!" I say, wanting to express how impressed I was with him.

"I actually got talking to him about making a future out of it, going to school to be a Graphic Designer. He seemed hopeful and excited until I mentioned Mia." I say, and Emily's face turns to one of understanding.

"Of course. That woman, I swear Luke, we need to get him away from her."

"I know baby, I want that more than anything. Well except for ma to wake up, but that's a given." I say, and she nods her head at me. Liam finishes his bottle so she lifts him up and rests him against her shoulder, softly patting his back as she attempts to get him to burp. It doesn't take long before he's letting out a rather large belch, larger than your average baby let's out. My face instantly breaks out in a proud fatherly grin.

"That's my boy!" I say joyously, holding my arms out for my son. Em playfully rolls her eyes at me as she hands our son over. Once he's safely in my arms, she gets up from the couch, coming to stand directly in front of us.

"My two handsome boys." She says, or more like coos down at us. She leans in and plants a loving kiss on my lips, next planting those same lips on Liam's head.

"You guys be good, I'm going to go take a shower." She tells me as she stands back up. I nod and watch her walk away in appreciation. Even after only having Liam 6 months ago, she looks damn good. She's been exercising when she has the time, and she's changed her diet. It's allowed her to take off most of her baby weight, although some still remains. Honestly though, I love it. She's a little softer around the edges now, and she seems only more beautiful to me.

"Your mom's a pretty lady huh buddy?" I ask Liam once Emily's out of sight. I look down at my son as I bounce him slightly on my knees, his beautiful smile beaming at me.

"Of course you know that." I coo at him, rubbing my hand across his belly. he kicks his little legs and wiggles his arms, making me smile even more. I still can't believe I'm here sometimes. I have a gorgeous wife who I simply adore, and who adores me right back. I have two beautiful children and a great job in a career I love. What more could a guy ask for?

At times it's hard to believe that Emily chose me. I mean, we've been friends ever since we were six, and all growing up we were inseparable. I didn't start to think of her romantically until I was like 16. I mean, yea I had noticed that she was really pretty, I was a teenage boy after all, but she had been like a sister to me for so long that it felt weird to feel that way about her. As more time went by, and I saw her everyday, it became harder and harder to hide my feelings though. Finally, a little after my 17th birthday, things changed for us, and obviously for the better.

 *****Flashback*** - About 13 years ago...**

 _"Hey nerd." Emily says as she walks into my room, a playful smile on her face. I look up from the game I'm playing to notice her, a giant grin overtaking my face. Em's been gone on vacation with her family in Vancouver for a week, and to say that I missed her is an understatement. I quickly pause my game and rush over to her, pulling her into a tight embrace._

 _"I missed you Em." I say once I let her go, earning a chuckle from her, a sound that more recently makes me tingle all over._

 _"I missed you too Lucas." She says, her voice sounding a bit more serious than I would have expected. Normally she'd call me nerd or doofis or something of the like, all in playfulness of course. She goes to sit down on my bed so I follow her._

 _"You okay Em?" I ask, looking at her with concern. She gives me a smile, one that doesn't quite reach her eyes though._

 _"How was Vancouver?" I ask, deciding to change the subject, for now._

 _"It was fun. The cabin that we stayed at was rather cozy, and Lauren and I got to sleep out in the living room." She says, her face showing the excitement she must have felt on her trip. Lauren is Emily's little sister, the only sibling she has, and they're really close. Last year she was diagnosed with child leukemia, and it's been rather rough on the family. After tons of doctor visits and bouts of chemo, they were informed that she's in remission, thus the cause for a trip. Vancouver is apparently where Lauren really wanted to go, so they went. It's nice to see Emily finally happy when she talks about her sister. Her happiness in turn makes me happy.  
_

 _"I'm glad Em, that sounds awesome. I take it Lauren had a blast?" I ask, my smile getting bigger as I watch her face light up. She then proceeds to tell me all about her trip and the fun things they did. She's simply glowing by the time she finishes describing her trip, and she looks at me with the most loving smile I've ever seen._

 _"Oh Luke, I really wish you could have been there, she was simply magnificent!" She exclaims to me, her hands coming to rest on my shoulders. I chuckle at her enthusiasm before responding._

 _"Well maybe next time." I say with a smile. A different look falls upon her face briefly, and I have 0 time to reflect upon what it means before her lips are suddenly on mine and she's kissing me. I completely freeze in shock, my hands resting awkwardly out to the side, and my eyes are wide open in shock. Right before I get my wits about me, and am about to kiss her back, she pulls away with a horrified look on her face._

 _"Oh my god Luke, I'm so sorry!" She exclaims, moving to get up off of my bed. I don't even think, I just act, reaching my arm out to stop her._

 _"No! Don't be." I say, looking at her with as much intensity as I can muster, hoping to get across without words that I enjoyed what she did, and that I'd like to do it again._

 _"Wha- uh, what?" She asks, clearly shocked by my actions and words. Since actions speak louder than words, something my ma always tells me, I decide to just lean in and plant my lips to hers once more. I know how cliched it is when someone tells you they saw fireworks when in a romantic situation. And normally I'd be the guy to go along with that, but I kid you not, the moment my lips latch onto her, an explosion of color and light and everything wonderful just envelopes me, and I feel simply amazing. Sadly though, Emily pulls away from our kiss once more, looking at me with confused eyes._

 _"What does this mean Luke?" She asks me, her voice soft and vulnerable. I realize that now is the time for me to step up, be a man, and get the girl._

 _"I like you Em, I've liked you for a while now. And when I say like, I mean as more than a friend. I don't really know what this means, or how it came about, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you and-"_

 _"Luke."_

 _"I don't want to ruin what we have, but-"_

 _"Luke!"_

 _"You mean everything to me Emily-"_

 _"LUKE!" This finally shocks me out of my incessant rambling._

 _"Yea?" I ask, my voice squeaking out awkwardly._

 _"Just shut up and kiss me." She says, giving me a playful smile. I give her one back in return and rush in for a kiss. One kiss quickly turns into two, which then turns into four, and you get the gist. After about 15 minutes, I'm laying flat on my back with Emily laying on top of me, both of us making out like horny teenagers. You know,_ because we are _._

 _"Hey Luke, your mom wanted to know if- Oh god!" I hear my ma call out, but not before we have enough time to_ un-compromise _our situation.  
_

 _"Sorry, I'll just uh... yea." Ma says awkwardly, looking like a deer caught in headlights. I am completely mortified as I watch her walk away, as I'm sure she's completely mortified as well._

 _"Well, that was awkward." Emily says a moment later, breaking the weird tension in my room. We both start to chuckle softly, and I let the beautiful sound of her voice momentarily distract me from what awaits me._

 _"God, you're beautiful." I find myself saying to her, the tone of my voice taking on a breathy tone. We both instantly blush at my words, me more so than her._

 _"I'm sorry, I've just wanted to say that for a long time now." I say, sounding like a complete moron. I've never had trouble being around her before, but now that we've kissed, I suddenly turn into the bumbling idiot I always do when talking to girls I like._

 _"It's okay... thank you." She says, acting shy all of the sudden. This leads me to realize that she's just as nervous as I am, and that maybe she wants me just as much too. This puts a smile on my face and I find myself leaning in to kiss her once more. Sadly however, as soon as our lips touch, her phone starts playing the ringtone she set for her mother, indicating an incoming call from her. Em gives me an apologetic look before getting off of my bed to answer the call._

 _I take a moment to briefly compose myself, needing to bring my heart rate back down after it skyrocketed when our lips touched again. My mind starts going over what happened in the last 10 minutes or so, analyzing every bit of information. Information like how_ Em _was the one to lean in to kiss_ me _, how her lips are so freaking soft I can't even stand it, or how her breath hitched slightly when I kissed her the second time. But most importantly how we can't go back to the way things were before now. I can't have her as_ just _my best friend anymore. I want more, and I hope beyond hope that she does too. Em stepping in front of me pulls me from my inner musings, and I look up at her expectantly._

 _"Sorry, that was my mom, I need to head back home." She says, sounding awkward and a little sad._

 _"Oh, uh okay." I say, standing up so I'm more level with her. Em is actually pretty tall for a girl, standing at the same height as my ma, which is 5'10". That only gives me 3" on her, but it's something that I actually really like. I don't have to crane my neck that much to look her in the eyes, and now I don't have to lean down that much to kiss her. Something I just do without thinking. We both moan slightly as our lips touch, and all too quickly I find myself pulling away, knowing that she needs to get on her way before her mom gets upset._

 _"I guess we'll talk later?" I ask after our brief kiss, a kiss that left us both with a goofy smile on our faces._

 _"Of course. I'll call you later once mom says I'm good to hang out again." She tells me, pausing briefly before leaning in and giving one more kiss. My goofy smile intensifies after we break, and I feel like I'm on cloud nine as I take her hand and slowly start walking with her down the stairs and to the front door. I give her one more soft kiss goodbye, and watch as she makes her way down the driveway to her car that's parked on the street. She makes eye contact with me as she opens her door, blowing me a kiss before she gets in and drives away. Being a love-sick teenager, I fail to hear footsteps coming up behind me, until I feel a warm hand come to rest on my shoulder. I jump slightly in shock and turn around to find my mom smiling up at me._

 _"Was that Em, did I miss her?" She asks, looking around me and out the front door. I smile a crooked half grin, bordering on guilty, at her and nod my head yes._

 _"Oh, what a shame. I wanted to ask her about that pot roast recipe she was going to give me." Mom says, and she gives me a sweet smile where her eyes crinkle around the edges._

 _"I love you mom." I find myself saying, earning myself a kiss on my cheek from her._

 _"I love you too baby." She says before turning around and heading towards the kitchen, no doubt getting ready to start making dinner. As my eyes follow her, I catch a glimpse of my ma sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at me expectantly. I sigh, knowing that we must now have a conversation about what she witnessed. I start towards her, sitting down awkwardly on the other end of the couch, and swivel to face her more._

 _"So..." She starts, letting it hang in the air for a moment. I nod my head but stay silent, having no idea what I could possibly say._

 _"You and Em..." She says, much the same way at the first time._

 _"Ha ha, yup." I manage to say, once again sounding like a complete moron._

 _"When did that happen? Last I checked, you two were just best friend."_

 _"We are, or we were. Ugh, I don't really know anymore." I say, suddenly feeling the need to air my grievances with my ma. She's always been good to talk to, and this time is no different. She gives me a confused look before responding._

 _"What do you mean by that bud?" She asks curiously. I give out another sigh first before I elaborate._

 _"When she came over earlier, we_ were _just best friends. But then we got talking about her vacation, and the next thing I know, shes kissing me. I was too shocked to react, but when she pulled away all embarrassed, I grabbed her and kissed her again. That's what escalated to the mini make-out session that you walked in on." I say rather quickly, very much embarrassed to be telling my ma this. I'm sure my face is bright red, much like my ma's is at the moment.  
_

 _"Oh." Is all she says, looking around awkwardly, as I'm sure she doesn't really know how to respond._

 _"Haha yea." I say, laughing awkwardly at this whole situation. I have never really been one for the dating scene, for some reason I've never had much luck with girls, so I haven't had any real conversations with my parents about this particular topic. My brother Simon has had better luck than me, and he's only barely 13, which is sad. It's not without want, and I don't want to sound egotistical, but I am a handsome guy. It's been kinda rough for me, and ma and I have had conversations about not letting it get to me, but having Emily seemed to make it all okay. She was my best friend, we did everything together. And now that I think about it, she's never really had much luck with guys either. It's always been just her and I, and at this realization, my face breaks out into a giant smile._

 _"What's got that grin on your face?" Ma asks, producing a smile of her own as she sees my demeanor change._

 _"Oh, I was just thinking that both Em and I haven't ever really had romantic interests., and I think I might know why." I say to her._

 _"Oh yea, and what's that?" Ma asks, and suddenly the embarrassement is back, causing me to blush once more._

 _"I know I'm young, and I promise that I plan on doing this way way down the road. But what if she's like, the one for me?" Ma's eyebrows raise at this. "Movies always talk about highschool sweethearts and knowing each other since you were in diapers. Could that be Em and I?" I ask her, at the same time asking myself._

 _"I don't know kid, but if that were to be the case, then that would make me really happy." I look at her questioningly._

 _"Emily is a great girl, you know your mom and I love her to bits. She'd make a great addition to this family, but lets not think that far right now. You've only just kissed the girl today."_

 _"I know I know, but I can't stop thinking about it." I say, almost dreamily._

 _"Can't stop thinking about what?" Mom asks, coming over to us with a spoon in her hand, her other hand cupped underneath it._

 _"Taste." She instructs ma, who does as shes told, tasting the sauce that mom has on the spoon._

 _"Good, but you might need more salt, and a bit of oregano." Ma responds to her._

 _"Thanks honey." Mom says with a smile, turning to head back into the kitchen. I'm just about to breath a sigh of relief when she turns back around to address me._

 _"What can't you stop thinking about baby?" She asks curiously, her head doing the little tilt thing it does when she wants to take in new information. I hear ma chuckle at what I'm sure is a deer in headlights look upon my face, before she elaborates.  
_

 _"Luke here more than likely has himself a girlfriend." She says, and the way mom's face lights up instantly makes the whole thing that much worse. You see, mom is the 'helicopter mom' in our house, always needing to know what's going on, she hovers, she can't go to sleep until we're all home etc. It can get annoying, but at the same time, I know that she will always be there for me, and will do anything in her power to make me happy, and she has a lot of power._

 _"What?! Who's the lucky lady?" She asks, damn near bouncing up and down in joy.  
_

 _"Emily." I mumble out, but she's unable to hear me._

 _"What was that baby?"_

 _"He said Emily." Ma responds for me, and it actually takes a moment for her to react, no doubt getting over the initial shock._

 _"Really?!" She practically yells, and both ma and I cringe slightly at her tone._

 _"Little baby Em, your best friend since you were six years old?" She asks, more for herself than an actual question, because it's obvious that's Em's who it is._

 _"I walked in on them making out on his bed earlier, just before Emily left." Ma tells her, and I honestly didn't think I could blush any deeper, but I think I might just managed it._

 _"Oh, wow." Mom says, sounding almost shocked. Like I said before, I've never had much luck with the ladies, so my parents aren't used to hearing, or witnessing, things of that nature involving me. I chance a glance up at mom, and she's smiling down at me with a sweet motherly smile._

 _"I'm happy for you baby, Emily is a great girl, you really couldn't have picked someone better to be your first girlfriend. Who knows, maybe some day she'll become your wife." Mom says with a wink._

 *****End Flashback*****

I think she knew back then that Em was my soulmate. My mother is a very smart woman after all. I smile at the memory, once again thanking my lucky stars that my parents moved to Worcester, allowing me to meet and become great friends with Emily. I've had a few friends in the past that have given me crap because Emily is the only woman that I've ever slept with. They claimed that a 'handsome guy' such as myself should be out there, sampling many woman. It's safe to say that I'm no longer friends with these guys, on account of the fact that they're all idiots. Emily was and is all I have ever needed. She completes me, she makes me a better man, she gave me two beautiful children. I really am a lucky guy.

"What are you grinning about?" She asks, seemingly coming out of nowhere. I look up to find her standing before me, clad in my boxer shorts and a tank top. Her hair is down and wet, and she clearly doesn't have a bra on. She looks simply beautiful, and a smile overtakes my face, letting her know that I feel this way.

"Just how amazingly lucky I was to have met you, and make you my wife." I tell her, earning myself an equal smile, and a brief kiss, one that gives me promises of what's to come.

"I'd say that I'm the lucky one." I scoff as she says this, and she gives me a crooked smile in return.

"What do you say we put little man to sleep and head to bed, letting each other know how lucky we are?" She asks, and I'm already up and heading towards Liam's room before she even finishes her statement. I hear her giggle as she follows me, and together we quickly put our son to be and head off for some much needed adult time.

* * *

"How ya doing ma?" I ask my ma as I stare down at her, holding her hand tightly in my own. I just barely got to the hospital, and I took over watching ma detail for a minute so my mother could go get something to eat. She has this thing where when she's at the hospital, she won't leave ma's side unless there's someone here who can watch her while she's gone. I could tell that she needed to get out and get some air, maybe grab something to eat, so I told her to head down to the cafeteria. It took a few moments, but she finally agreed and headed out the door after giving me a kiss on the cheek. It made me happy to see her go, but it also made me sad because of the fact that I have to tell her to do such things. She hasn't been taking the greatest care of herself, and it's been really worrying me.

"Ma, you gotta get better, mom really needs you." I find myself saying as I clutch her hand tighter.

"If you can hear me, please understand that we need you to wake up. Mom's a mess without you, she won't leave your side, she hardly goes home. It's wearing her thin, and I hate that." I can feel a few tears falling down my cheeks as the words just start pouring from my lips, but I don't care.

"It's not just mom though, we need you too. _I_ need you. I need your help keeping the family together and strong. I need your help with Simon." The tears are now falling off my chin, hitting my shirt as they soak into the material. Fresh ones follow in their place as I continue to stare down at my ma.

"I don't know what to do. I'm not as strong as you are." I say, or more like whisper as the emotions start to become too much for me. I bow my head slightly and close my eyes, feeling the mass collection of tears fall quickly down to drip upon my hand. The same hand that is clutching ma's. My shoulders shake with the weight of my emotions, it would seem that I've finally started to feel the weight that this whole situation has put on me. I've tried for so long to be strong, when inside I was just a weak young boy who really needed his mother.

I give ma's hand another squeeze, somehow needing that little bit of reassurance that she's at least still here in physical form. I can also hear the door behind me open softly as mom comes back. I'm about to turn around and address her when I suddenly feel something that I have been hoping for for the past three weeks. It's faint, very faint, but I can feel my ma's hand close slightly around my own. It's brief as well but she clearly just gave my hand a squeeze back, which was her way of letting me know that she heard me, that she's still here and that most importantly, _she's fighting_.

I must have made some sort of gasp or noise, because mom is suddenly at my side, looking at me questioningly. "What's wrong Luke?" She asks, her voice full of concern. I turn my head and look at her, shock clearly evident upon my face. This only serves to concern her more, as she looks rather worriedly from me to ma and back.

"What is it honey?" She asks, her tone practically begging me to give her an answer.

"She... she uh, she squeezed my hand." I say, my tone that of disbelief. Mom's face goes shocked at this, and then she looks down at ma.

"Jane, honey... can you hear me?" Mom asks her, and this time her voice is hopeful. We both wait with bated breath to see if ma reacts, time seeming to pass by in super slow motion. It happens so fast however, as all at once, ma squeezes my hand once more and groans out very faintly. I can hear mom gasp next to me, and as I look over at her, she has tears of joy rushing down her cheeks. This causes me to breath out a relieved sigh, fresh tears leaking from me as well, and when I look back to my ma I am greeted with the most beautiful sight. Her amazingly deep brown eyes are staring back at me through hooded lids, and she gives out one more groan before shocking us both another time.

"Hey guys." She croaks out, her voice rather gravely from disuse. I don't even have time to fully acknowledge what has just happened when mom practically springs forward to latch her lips to ma's. It clearly takes her by surprise at first, but then she wraps her broken arm around mom's back and pulls her to her. The tears are just flowing down my face at this point, but this time they're tears of joy. I let go of ma's hand and she takes this opportunity to wrap it around mom as well. Its about to get to the point where it's awkward when they finally break apart. Mom clutches ma's face in her hands as she looks deep in her eyes.

"Not that I don't appreciate that wonderful greeting, but what was that for?" Ma asks, her voice still gravely but not quite as bad. Neither of us say anything, not really sure how to start this conversation. The smile on ma's face fades as she looks from mom to me and back. Her brows start to scrunch together as her happiness turns to concern.

"What happened?" She asks as she finally notices where she is and what sort of condition she's in. Mom and I turn to look at each other, silently asking the other for help with this, as we both have no clue what to say.

* * *

 **Please don't hate me, I needed to end it here. I promise I won't leave you hanging for long, I'm not that cruel;)  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**I'm back! Sorry it took much longer than I anticipated to get this out to you all. I've managed to finish this chapter now though, so her it is for your viewing pleasure. I hope it was worth the wait.**

 **As always, ENJOY!**

* * *

We all have things we wish for. It could be something small like the time passing by quicker so that you can go home. Or wishing that your favorite team will win the Superbowl. It could be something a bit more out there like winning the lottery and never having to work again. Either way, we all seem to have wishes and desires that usually just won't come to fruition. But what if what you wished for was something you would have never thought of? What if it pertained to something you took for granted, like say wishing a loved one would wake up from the coma they've been in for almost a month? You obviously wouldn't think to wish for that normally, but once you're in it, it's all you can think about. What happens when it actually comes true though? You start to think it will never happen, and then bam! They're awake and you don't fully know what to do. Do you go into shock? Do you jump for joy and scream while bouncing up and down? You don't know? Well lets tune in to a certain set of individuals and find out what they'd do, shall we?

* * *

 **Brief Flashback:**

 _"Hey guys." She croaks out, her voice rather gravely from disuse. I don't even have time to fully acknowledge what has just happened when mom practically springs forward to latch her lips to ma's. It clearly takes her by surprise at first, but then she wraps her broken arm around mom's back and pulls her to her. The tears are just flowing down my face at this point, but this time they're tears of joy. I let go of ma's hand and she takes this opportunity to wrap it around mom as well. Its about to get to the point where it's awkward when they finally break apart. Mom clutches ma's face in her hands as she looks deep in her eyes._

 _"Not that I don't appreciate that wonderful greeting, but what was that for?" Ma asks, her voice still gravely but not quite as bad. Neither of us say anything, not really sure how to start this conversation. The smile on ma's face fades as she looks from mom to me and back. Her brows start to scrunch together as her happiness turns to concern._

 _"What happened?" She asks as she finally notices where she is and what sort of condition she's in. Mom and I turn to look at each other, silently asking the other for help with this, as we both have no clue what to say._

 **Present:**

 **Massachusetts** **General Hospital (Jane's room)**

"What's the last thing you remember honey?" I ask Jane in a soft voice. I don't really know how to start this conversation, so I feel it best to at least find out what all she remembers. She gives me a confused look briefly, then closes her eyes in concentration as she tries to remember.

"Uh, well it would have been you and me at home. I was watching the game and you were making dinner." She says, her brows scrunching up a bit more as she struggles to remember. We give her a minute to gather her thoughts, both Lucas and I waiting with baited breath as she does. It's still so surreal that she's awake. I've spent the last three weeks at her side, each day losing that little bit of hope that she would wake up, even if it was on a subconscious level. Now that it's happened, I find myself no doubt in shock towards the whole thing.

"I remember we got talking about a conversation you had with Bella, about me talking to Simon..." She says, her voice fading off towards the end of her sentence. She slowly opens her eyes, looking at me with so many mixed emotions on her face. I watch as at first I see confusion, then realization, which turns to surprise and then embarrassment. This turns to something I can't quite figure out, and before I have the chance to try, Jane is speaking to me.

"Oh my god Maura, I'm so sorry!" She practically yells at me, and I find myself shocked once again, although this time now by her outburst.

"What are you sorry for Jane?" I ask, generally confused by what she means.

"We fought, and I was rude. Oh god, I stormed out like I always do." She cries, falling back against the bed in annoyance towards herself. The sight breaks my heart, making me wish that I could somehow turn back time and go back to that moment, insuring that it never escalated to now.

"It's okay Jane." I say, reaching for her hand to take as reassurance. She sits back up quickly before answering me, and I don't miss the expression of pain on her face that she tries to hide.

"No, it's not. Over thirty years of marriage should have taught me not to run, but apparently it didn't." She says exasperatedly.

"I don't remember what happened after I left though?" She says next, looking around at her surroundings rather confusedly.

"Wait, how did I get here? And what happened to me?" She asks, looking up at us both once more. My brows scrunch up as I contemplate what I want to say, but my son beats me to it.

"You were in an accident ma. You were hurt pretty badly." He says, his voice quiet and almost hesitant. Jane turns her attention to him, the look of confusion on her face only getting more pronounced.

"What?" She asks.

"You were t-boned by a drunk driver, the Audi was totaled actually." He tells her, and I watch her face contort in pain at this revelation. Jane simply loved that car, it was probably the best gift that I had ever given her. Sadly it was totaled beyond repair and I had to salvage it for parts. She groans out at this, resting once more against the back of the bed.

"What exactly happened to me?" She asks after several minutes of silence. Lucas looks to me, indicating that he wants me to explain it to her.

"Your left arm and leg were broken upon impact, and you suffered a subdural hematoma which caused you to fall into a coma." I say, not able to get the words out without the emotions hitting me hard. Tears are falling down my face once more, and Jane looks at me with sympathetic eyes.

"How long have I been out for?" She asks in a small voice after a moment. I clear my throat before answering, feeling a giant lump forming.

"Three weeks and four days." I respond, and watch as she closes her eyes while she takes this in. I'm about to tell her that three weeks really isn't that bad when I hear the door open behind us, and the voice of my daughter comes fluttering into the room.

"Oh good, you're both he-" She cuts her sentence short when she looks at her mother. I turn my head and find Jane has her eyes open once more and is staring at Bella with a weak half smile. I quickly look back to my daughter, and find shock written all over her facial features.

"Hey Bells." Jane say to her, which effectively snaps Bella out of her trance like state.

"Mama?" She asks in a small voice, not giving Jane any time to answer before she rushes over to the bed and practically throws herself on her ma. Jane groans in pain, but wraps her arms around Bella nonetheless, holding her tightly to her. She's just woken up from a coma, finding out she's been severely injured and still she only has concern for her loved ones around her.

"Hey baby girl." Jane husks out, the emotions no doubt getting to her as well. Bella squeezes Jane tight in response, pushing another groan from her ma.

"Bella honey, you need to be careful with ma, she's still very much injured." I warn my daughter, even though she should already know this. She is a doctor after all. She immediately breaks away from their embrace, looking rather sheepish.

"Sorry mama, I wasn't thinking." She tells Jane apologetically.

"It's okay honey." Jane assures her.

"When did she wake up?" Bella suddenly turns to me and asks, catching me momentarily off guard.

"Like ten minutes ago. We haven't even notified the nurses yet." Luke answers for me, causing Bella to turn towards him. Instead of responding to him, she just wraps her arms around him and hugs him tightly. Lucas looks taken aback for a moment, but then wraps his arms around her as well, giving her the reassurance that she so desperately needs.

"It's okay now Bells, ma's awake, you don't have to keep secrets anymore." Luke tells her, causing me to look at him in confusion. What does he mean she doesn't have to keep secrets anymore? One look at Jane shows me that she feels the same exact way.

"Honey, what are you talking about?" I ask my oldest son. He shakes his head at me and pulls away from his and Bella's embrace. He looks down at his sister, holding onto her shoulders at arms length, and his features soften.

"Go ahead and tell them, I know you want to get this off of your chest." He says softly to her, and after a few beats she nods her head infinitesimally. She slowly turns around and reaches out for my hand, at the same time taking Jane's uninjured one.

"Bella, whats going on sweetheart?" Jane asks, her raspy voice full of concern.

"Ma, mom, I have something that I want to tell you both. I wanted you to hear it at the same time, so I've been keeping it a secret from mom." She says, looking at me apologetically. I'm really starting to worry now, and I'm sure my face reflects this to her.

She takes a deep breath, her eyes closes briefly, and finally she lets it out.

"I found out two weeks ago that I'm expecting." What? Did I hear her right? Did my baby just tell me that she's going to be a mommy? That I'm going to be a grandmother again?

"Bells?" Jane asks hesitantly, causing us all to look at her.

"I'm going to be a mom, mama." She says in the most innocent voice, sounding like she wants to cry.

"How far along are you baby?" I ask her, trying to contain my excitement over this revelation.

"Almost six weeks." She tells me, and I can't help it, I instantly move to pull her into my arms, standing on my toes to rest my chin against her shoulder.

"Oh my god Bells, I'm so happy for you!" I cry out as we hug, and I feel Lucas rub his hand up and down my back. I pull away from our hug to find Bella staring down at me with tears in her eyes.

"Get over here mommy." Jane says, pulling Bella's attention back to her. She leans down and allows Jane to wrap her arms around her back, giving her a congratulatory hug. Both Lucas and I follow suit and wrap our arms around Bella from behind, essentially creating a giant family hug. I feel Bella start to shake and I know the emotions have become too much for her, and that she's silently crying.

"I'm so glad you're awake mama." I hear her mumble to Jane, and in return I feel Jane's arms squeeze tighter around her.

"I'm sorry I was away baby." Jane mumbles back in return. The emotions are running high in this room right now, all of us not quite sure how to feel.

"I uh, I'm gonna go call Simon." Luke says after a minute, clearing his throat as he looks at me. I nod my head in agreement and watch him walk out of the room. I turn my attention back to my wife and daughter, who have pulled back from their hug and are now just looking at each other. Jane sees me staring out of the corner of her eye, and turns her attention to me. She gives a crooked half smile and reaches her right hand out to me. I immediately take it, and relish in the feel of her warm skin upon mine. I can't stop the tears as they begin to cascade down my face, but I really don't care. Jane is awake, she's hear with us, talking and smiling. This is more than I could have ever asked for, something I thought I'd never get to witness again. I am so unbelievably happy in this moment right now. The only thing that would make it better is if Simon were here, and able to enjoy this sweet family moment with us. Hopefully Luke can get him here and we can try for that.

"I'm so sorry Maur, I didn't mean to be away from you." Jane says after a moment of silence, her voice laced with pain and sorrow. I shake my head at her before I even find the words to say, wanting her to know that I don't blame her.

"You had no way of knowing Jane, and I'm sorry for fighting with you in the first place. If I hadn't overreacted, then you never would have left the house." I say, suddenly feeling intense guilt over what happened that night. Now it's Jane's turn to shake her head at me, as she gives my hand a squeeze.

"Let's not put blame Maur, lets just move past it. If this has taught me anything, it's to be happy and live in the here and now. You two, my family, you all make my happy and I want to spend every minute enjoying having you in my life." Jane says, looking from me to Bella and back.

"Simon's on his way, said he'd be here in 15." Lucas says, coming back into the room.

"Come over here bud." Jane says to him, letting go of my hand so she can reach out to her oldest son. I can see tear tracks down Luke's face as he smiles and makes his way over to Jane. Instead of taking her hand, he leans down and pulls her into a hug. She grunts in surprise momentarily, but then is reciprocating his embrace wholeheartedly. It's a beautiful sight to behold, and I commit the imagery to memory, wanting to hold onto it forever.

Suddenly I feel Jane's bed begin to shake slightly, and one look at my son lets me know that he's crying silent tears. I can faintly make out Jane's quiet words to him.

"Hey buddy, it's okay. I'm here now, and I promise it's to stay."

"I tried mama, I did the best I could to keep everyone together." Luke cries into her shoulder, causing my heart to break. I had suspected that he was carrying more burden than he could handle, but I had never thought to ask him if he was okay. The guilt comes rushing back tenfold, wishing that I had had the forethought to be there for him as he was for me.

"Hey, it's okay Luke. You did an amazing job, don't you forget that." She says to him as he pulls back from their embrace slightly. She reaches her right hand up and cups his cheek, looking him dead in the eyes.

"You are an outstanding man, and I have the utmost respect for you. You are _my_ son, and the strongest man I know." She says to him, her words backed with so much intense emotion, of the positive kind. She wipes a few of his tears away as he nods his head at her. I suddenly find myself reaching my arms out for him, and he curls around to accept my embrace. Even though he's much taller than me, he leans down so his head fits right against the spot where my neck meets my shoulder. My arms wrap protectively around him, and I move my right hand up and down his back in a soothing manner. I think back to when I used to do this for him as a boy. Whenever he was overwhelmed with emotions, and he had no idea what to do, he would always curl up in my arms and allow me to sooth him until he felt comfortable enough to talk. One particular time sticks out, when he was about 6 years old, right after we had moved to Worcester. He had had an especially bad day at school, storming upstairs the moment we got home and locking himself in his room. I knew to give him space because that was how he handled things, that he would come down on his own time.

 *****Flashback*** -About 24 years ago...**

 _I hear the creek of the door before I actually see it move open. I put the bookmark in place and close the bind, setting the book I was reading down on the nightstand as I look to the door. Just as I knew he would be, there stands my six year old son, eyes red-rimmed and puffy from crying, head down in embarrassment as he waits for me to call out to him._

 _"What's wrong baby?" I ask him softly, pulling the blankets back from my lap so that he can come curl up against me like I know he needs. Without responding, he quickly makes his way over to my bed, climbing up and into my lap. I instantly wrap my arms around him and pull him tightly against me, his dark head nestled safely against my chest. We stay like this for several minutes, me just rubbing his back soothingly while he composes himself. While I cherish these moments where he allows me to comfort him, I absolutely hate seeing my son in pain. It breaks every mothers heart to see her child hurt, knowing that there was nothing you could have done to prevent it, only that you can be that warm set of arms to curl up in. This situation is no different as I hold him tightly to me. Things have been especially hard lately, as we have just moved to a new place, a place he's not used to. I understand it's hard for a child to do so, what with having a new house to get used to, a new school with new kids, attempting to make new friends. I know how cruel small children can be, and it pains me to think that this is why Lucas is hurting right now. Being the new kid automatically opens you up to teasing, something that is not right, but still so very true._

 _"I just wanted to play tag mommy." He says sadly into my chest, and my heart starts to break all over again at his pained tone of voice. My sweet little baby boy is hurting, and I need to make it better, somehow._

 _"What happened when you tried to play tag sweetheart?" I ask him in a soft voice._

 _"The other kids made fun of me cuz I can't run fast like them. They tripped me a lot so I went and hid by the slides." He says, his breath hitching often from all the crying he's been doing. A frown instantly falls upon my face, and I gently pull him away from my chest so that I can look him in the eyes. I wipe the few tears I see trickling down his cheeks, and give him an apologetic look._

 _"I'm so sorry honey. I know how kids can be mean." I tell him in what I hope is a reassuring motherly tone._

 _"What about Emily? Did she play tag with you?" I ask, knowing that he's made a good friend in that little girl. This at least gives me some piece of mind, knowing that he's got one good friend._

 _"She wasn't at school today." He says sadly, resting his head against my chest again. I pull him tightly to me, wanting to give comfort in any way he needs. We stay silent for a few moments, me softly rubbing his back, while I think over what to say._

 _"How many kids were rude to you Lucas?" I ask after I feel him relax more against me. He pulls back this time, looking up at me with sad eyes._

 _"It was Billy and Marcus. They kept tripping me and saying I was slow. All the other kids just laughed at me." He responds, holding his head low in what I perceive to be embarrassment._

 _"I'm so sorry baby, I'll have to have a talk with your principle about those two boys." His head instantly whips up, and he looks scared as he rushes out words._

 _"No! Mommy please don't, they'll just be more meaner to me." He says, looking at me with pleading eyes. I frown down at him, not wanting to go along with this, but also not wanting to cause my son any more unwanted teasing. I chose Sun Stone Academy for a reason, they told me there was a 'no bullying' policy in place, I was explicitly told that it wasn't tolerated._

 _"Okay baby, I won't." I say, deciding to table my response for the moment. I'll need to talk to Jane about this and get her input on it, then we both can decide what we want to do. For now though, I need to work on making my baby feel better. Knowing his extreme like for ice cream, I decide to spoil him a little in the hopes that that will lift his spirits._

 _"How about you and I enjoy a nice big bowl of ice cream, and watch some cartoons?" I ask him, and smile as I watch his face transform into that of sheer joy. He nods his head vigorously, and quickly hops off of my lap. I chuckle as I untangle myself from the blankets, and grab my son's outstretched hand as he leads me downstairs for our treat._

 *****End Flashback*****

"Thanks mom." Lucas says to me as he pulls away from our hug, his voice huskier than usual from the emotions he's feeling.

"Of course honey." I say, giving him what I hope is a supportive look. He returns it with a half smile, and then suddenly we all look up at the door when we hear it open. Standing hesitantly in the doorway is my youngest son as he looks around at us all nervously. This is the first time since Jane was initially brought in that he's been around all of us at once.

"Simon?" Jane asks, breaking the awkward silence in the room. His eyes are instantly glued to her, but he stays put until she beckons for him to come to her. I catch a glimpse of a few tears on his cheeks as he rushes towards Jane, and they immediately embrace once he's close enough. I can see his shoulders slightly shaking up and down, no doubt because he's crying. Jane is whispering things into his ear but I can't make out what she's saying.

I want nothing more than to walk over and wrap my arms around Simon as well, but I know that my embrace is not welcome. It pains me to think this, but now that Jane is awake and okay, I can focus on bettering my relationship with him. Granted, that's if he stays long enough for me to do so. Usually when he pops up, it's only for a week or two at a time, and then he's off gallivanting once more with his girlfriend. I absolutely loath that woman, and I am positive she is the reason my son acts the way he does. But I realize that not accepting her has pushed him away, and will continue to do so if I don't change my outlook on this whole thing. Almost losing Jane has opened my mind up, and I know that I don't want to fully lose Simon either. He's my son, I love him so dearly that if physically hurts me. I know it's going to take a lot of work, but I'm willing to put in the time and pain to make us better.

I almost have enough courage gathered to go over to him when the door opens once more, this time it's the nurse. She's holding a chart in her hand and has not yet noticed all of us here in the room, or the fact that Jane is awake. I suddenly feel really guilty for not having gone and gotten the nurse right when she woke up. The physician in me is screaming at my stupidity, but the overwhelmed and exhausted wife in me just wanted nothing more than to enjoy the fact that Jane was awake.

"Alright, how are we doing today Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles?" The nurse asks, still not noticing that Jane is awake.

"I'm doing alright, but I could really use some water. My throat is killing me." Jane responds, her voice still rather raspy. I watch as the nurse looks up at my wife, her face that of sheer shock.

"Oh my god, you're awake!" She exclaims, her tone matching the shocked expression on her face. Jane just gives her a look as if to say _duh._

"How long has she been conscious?" The nurse asks, turning to me for an answer.

"I would estimate around twenty minutes or so."

"Twenty minutes!" She almost yells. "Why didn't you come let us know?" She asks in a rush as she moves past me to stand next to Jane's bed. As she goes about checking Jane's vitals, she turns to Lucas and starts speaking.

"Can you go out to the nurse's station and let them know that your mother is awake? Tell them to page Dr. Phillips and have him come here." She insructs him. Lucas nods his head and immediately does as instructed. I suddenly feel a presence next to me, and I turn to find my daughter reaching out for my arm. She quickly wraps her arms around my right one, and molds the side of her body to mine. She rests her head on my shoulder and together we watch the nurse work and Jane interact with her. It doesn't take long for Dr. Phillips to make his way into the room. He takes over for the nurse, asking Jane questions as he assess her.

"So, how are you feeling Jane?" He asks her first.

"My throat really hurts, it's pretty dry." Jane responds to him. At her words, Dr. Phillips turns to the nurse and starts speaking. "Maggie, can you go grab a cup of water please?" He asks her, receiving a nod in response before nurse Maggie leaves the room.

"Any headaches, sharp pains, shortness of breath Jane?" He asks, turning his attention back to Jane as he begins to feel her ribs.

"It's a little tender right there, but other than that no." Jane responds with a slight wince. The doctor pulls out his diagnostic penlight and begins to check her pupal dilation. He has her follow the pen with her eyes, checking to make sure everything is working as it should. I suddenly find myself unable to hold in my concern any longer.

"How is she doctor?" I ask, the concerned wife in me taking full control over my body. At my question he turns his attention to me, and actually gives me a small smile.

"She seems to be doing rather well. All of her vitals are stable, she's talking and able to understand my questions. I'm actually rather surprised. You don't usually see this kind of recovery right out of a coma. I'd say you're one strong woman Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles." He finishes his sentence out looking at Jane, who has a smile on her face.

"Oh you have no idea." Bella says, and we each find ourselves laughing slightly at her words. It feels really nice, like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"Well, since everything looks to be good, I'll leave you to your family. I'd like to come back a little later to run a few tests, but for now just enjoy being awake." He says to Jane with another smile. "Oh, and Maggie should be here momentarily with your water to help with the sore throat." He tells her as an afterthought.

"If you need anything, just have the nurses page me." He says to me right before heading out the door. I turn my attention back to Jane, and smile when she opens her arms wide, beckoning for me. Immediately I hug my body to hers and allow her to envelope me in her arms. The embrace feels simply magnificent, the simple joy of having our bodies molded together makes me happy.

"I'm so sorry Maur." Jane whispers in my ear, sending a shiver running down my spine. Not one of pleasure, but one of sadness. I don't want her to feel bad for what happened. She's the one that's been in a coma, 3 weeks of her life just gone, with a fair amount of recovery ahead of her. If anything, I should be apologizing to her. If I hadn't instigated our fight, she never would have left, and therefore never gotten in that accident. Now is not the time to have that conversation however, so I settle for a lighter response.

"I'm just glad you're awake." I whisper back in her ear. I feel her give me one last squeeze, and then we separate from our hug. I follow Jane's gaze to Simon, who appears to be feeling rather awkward. I now realize that this is the longest amount of time he's spent with the whole family all in one room in a very long time. There's no doubt that he's feeling awkward, especially with me here.

"Sim, you okay buddy?" Jane asks him, her voice still rather raspy. Where in the hell is the nurse with her water?

"Uh, yea, just glad to see you awake ma. I was starting to get really worried." This answer causes Jane to frown deeply, his words causing her to feel immense guilt.

"I'm so sorry buddy, I never meant for any of this to happen." Jane says to him, her tone light and almost hesitant. This time it's Simon's turn to frown at her. "Then why did it happen ma?" He asks her, and his tone sounds almost accusatory. She looks at him confused for a second, his change in tone taking her by surprise, and then she starts to look guilty.

"Because I do what I always do best, _run_ , when I shouldn't have." She says, her tone faint, like she's embarrassed to say the words.

"And I wonder why. Could it be because of _mother_ here?" He definitely sounds accusatory now, just this time it's directed towards me. He turns his head to look at me with a scowl, and I feel myself visibly move back in shame.

"What was that?" Jane asks him, and he actually turns his head to look at her like she's dumb.

"If she hadn't pushed you guys to fight, then you wouldn't have felt the need to run, ultimately landing you in this situation. It's her fault you're here." He says, and Jane's face and tone instantly turn to anger.

"Like hell it is!" She calls out rather loudly, her voice straining with the added stress. Simon actually scoffs at her response, which earns him a disbelieving glare from Jane. I can instantly feel the tension in the air around us thicken, so I decide to try and appease the situation. Without really thinking, I reach out for Simon, wanting my touch to somehow calm him down. If I was thinking even somewhat rationally, I would have known that that wouldn't work. However, with my emotions running high, and my ever present need to avoid conflict, I failed to realize this. As soon as my fingers touch his arm, he jerks away from me, as if in disgust that I would attempt to touch him. Several things happen all at once after this. First, I recoil back in pain, as if someone has just slapped me across the face. Two, both Bella and Lucas yell out at their brother in clear annoyance towards his actions. I cast them both pleading looks, not wanting to make a scene in Jane's hospital bed. They both nod back begrudgingly, which makes me feel slightly better. That is, until the third thing happens.

"Maur honey, can you take our two oldest and wait out in the hall for a moment? I need to speak with the little one here." Jane says to me, the beginning of her sentence sounding soft and sweet, while the end sounds stern and aggravated. She doesn't make eye contact with me, but this doesn't hurt my feelings. I know she's keeping eye contact with Simon, just like she used to do to all her perps when she was still on the force. I know right at this moment, by those actions alone, that Simon is in for it. I hesitate, not sure if I want to leave or not. A gentle hand on my shoulder makes my decision for me however, as Lucas slowly leads me out of the room. We walk several feet down the hall away from Jane's room, wanting to give them more privacy.

No longer able to hold in my emotions, I start to cry heavily, and feel strong arms wrap around me. I bury my face in my daughters chest, finding solace in her loving embrace. She holds me for several minutes, allowing me to cry out all my pent up emotions, until I finally pull my head away from her and look up through tear stained eyes. She gives me a sympathetic smile, and plants a kiss on my forehead. I feel as if our roles have now reversed, me no longer being the one to offer comfort, but the one who needs it.

"I'm sorry honey." I say to her, feeling guilty for making her do that for me, again.

"Please don't apologize mom, I'm here for you." She responds in a soft voice.

"We both are." Lucas says, pulling my attention to him. He gives me a reassuring smile, and rests his hand on my shoulder.

"It's going to be okay mom, I just know it." He tells me, an air of confidence about him that I just can't quite understand. He's always been an optimistic young man, and for that I applaud him. I still don't understand it however.

"How can you be so sure Lucas? Your mother is now awake yes, but I fear that things with Simon have progressed far beyond the point of repair. You saw the way he flinched away from my touch, as if I had burned him." I say sadly, fresh tears making their way down my cheeks. Suddenly Lucas has me turned with his hands holding both of my shoulders, gaining my full attention.

"Hey, that is not true. That boy loves you, we can all see it, it's just going to take some time. Plus, ma's awake now, and by the look of things, she's going to help take care of it. I have the utmost faith that our family will be whole again. And we need you to feel the same. We can't do it alone." My son really is a smart man, and very wise for his young thirty years of age. He's much like Jane, always protecting the people around him, and just like her as well, he knows exactly what to say to get my spirits back up.

"Thanks baby, I'll try and keep that in mind." I say sweetly to him, reaching up to cup his cheek momentarily.

Deciding to try and take our minds off of what just happened, I turn to my daughter to start a conversation with her about her pregnancy. Quickly, the air around us seems to lighten, and I start to lose myself in her happiness. Time seems to escape us, and pretty soon Simon comes rushing past, clearly not wanting to speak to any of us. Lucas decides he won't let that happen however, reaching out to grab Simon's arm. Simon immediately yanks his arm away and glares at his brother.

"Don't touch me!" He yells at Luke, who seems unfazed by his tone. Instead he responds with his own raised voice.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asks him.

"What, are you my father now?" The sarcasm drips from Simon's tone, and as I watch this whole thing unfold, I realize that I barely recognize the man in front of me. He's nothing like the sweet young man he was five years ago, and most definitely not like the sweet young _boy_ who used to seek me out to cuddle late at night.

 *****Flashback*** - About 21 years ago...**

 _I sigh as I continue to flip through the reports in my hands. I just can't seem to piece together any clues on this case. Both Jane and I have been going at this practically non stop for the last four days, but have each been unsuccessful. I honestly feel like I'm missing some big clue, that it has to be here in the autopsy report, but nothing. I toss the file onto the coffee table and lean back against the couch, rubbing my sore eyes as I do. A quick glance at my watch tells me that it's past 1 o'clock in the morning. Jane went to bed about an hour ago, but I just couldn't make myself stop. The sudden noise of small feet on the stairs indicates to me that I'm not alone anymore._

 _"Mommy?" A small voice questions, and I turn around to find Simon walking towards me. He's in his trusty Spider man pajamas, his blonde hair is sticking up at odd angles that make him look absolutely adorable, and he's dragging his Spider man blanket along behind him as he walks. He's rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and moving rather slowly in his half asleep daze._

 _"Yes baby?" I ask him in my sweet motherly tone. I watch with a smile on my face as he makes his way around the couch and holds his arms out once in front of me. I make quick work of lifting him into my embrace. His head immediately goes to rest against my chest, his little arms weakly wrapping around my neck, allowing me to feel the full weight of him._

 _"What's wrong honey?" I ask him softly as I begin to rub his back. I can hear him mumble against my chest, but it's too faint for me to be able to pick up exactly what he said. I gently coax him out from his hiding spot against me, and push some of his hair out of his face. I make a mental note to take him for a hair cut tomorrow before speaking._

 _"What was that?"_

 _"I had a bad dream mommy." He tells me quietly, sounding slightly scared, but mostly just really tired. It's only now, as I look at his face this close up, do I see the faint marks of tears that had run down his cheeks. Knowing that my sweet little boy was crying, just simply breaks my heart._

 _"Oh baby, I'm so sorry. Mommy's here now though, you're okay." I pull him to me once more, wanting nothing more than to comfort all his fears away. He clings to me while he cries silently, and I do my best to let him know that I love him, and am here for him. Once his cries begin to settle down, I decide I want to find out what it was that he had a bad dream about. I know all children have nightmares from time to time, but Simon has never experienced one that hit him as hard as this one. It's actually kind of worrying me.  
_

 _"Honey, can you tell mommy what it was that you dreamed about?" I ask him softly as I coax his head out from against my chest. I wipe the tears from his eyes while he contemplates whether or not to answer me, before receiving a small nod as an answer. I have to strain my ears to pick up on the words his little voice is saying._

 _"There was a mean dark man, and he was fighten whiff my daddy. He sawd me and stopped fighten, then the mean man stabbed him, and he falled to the floor." Simon tells me, his words followed by sniffles from his crying session. I don't much register this however, as my son's words start to sink in. He had a nightmare, but this one wasn't about some scary show he watched or his overactive imagination conjuring up fallacy's. No, this one was about something that actually happened to him when he was little, something very horrible and traumatic, something I had hoped would never come to life. I feel as if my worst nightmare has now come true, and the sweet little boy sitting in my lap, looking up at me innocently, has no idea why I have such a pained expression on my face. I honestly don't know what to say right now, and I really wish that Jane hadn't gone to bed already. I could really use her help with this one._

 *****End Flashback*****

That was one of the worst nights for me, followed closely by the next morning when Jane and I had to find some way to explain to our four year old son what his dream meant, and where he came from. We came up with the barest version we could, not wanting to divulge too much information to such a small mind, and I don't think any of it really stuck. Both Jane and I were grateful for that, or that was until he turned six, and Bella accidentally brought the subject back up, making him question it once more. I never wanted to cause my little boy any insecurities, and it broke my heart to have to tell him everything, I'm just not so sure we went about it in the best manner. I know he holds it against us, or me rather, to this day. He hates the fact that he's adopted, that he didn't come from either mine or Jane's egg. We've tried countless times to assure him that we don't care either way, that he is _our son_ , but he won't listen.

We have never treated him any different, and neither has any family members. Both my mothers, Angela and even Sean when he was alive, always treated him as their grandson, because he was, or _is_ rather, their grandson. That's why this situation is so hard, because no matter what we did, he still developed those insecurities, and there was nothing I could have done about it. We put him through therapy as a young child, but it didn't last long, Jane saying that no small child should have to see a shrink. I fought it, but eventually let it go, and to this day I regret that decision. I know he needed it, and he still does, but now that he's an adult, there is nothing I can do to make him go. It's up to him, and it's not something that he wants to do, so it hasn't happened.

"Are you okay mom?" I hear asked, breaking me from my thoughts, and as I look around, I notice that Simon is no longer here, and Lucas and Bella are staring at me in a concerned manner. I slightly shake my head, attempting to clear my thoughts, and then nod in the affirmative at them.

"Yes, I'm fine. Did Simon leave?" I ask, and they both cast questioning glances at one another, before turning back to me to respond.

"Yea, he's gone, and I don't think he'll be back for awhile. I'll try talking to him later, but for now let's get back to ma." Lucas says, and then gently guides me back towards Jane's room. When we enter I find the nurse next to Jane's bed, checking over the machines, all while Jane sips on a small cup of water, a happy smile on her face when she sees us enter.

"Is everything alright ma?" Bella asks her in a concerned tone, walking up to be beside the bed.

"Yea, it's fine. Simon just didn't want to hear what I had to say, so he decided to rush out like a small child." Jane says, and then she sends an apologetic look my way.

"Maura, honey. I'm so sorry that I haven't been here to help with him. I left you to face all of that on your own, and I don't think I can forgive myself for that." Jane says to me sadly, and in an instant I am by her side, grasping her good hand in mine. Part of me notices that the nurse takes her leave, clearly feeling like she's intruding on a family moment, but the more dominant part doesn't even care. All I can think about in this moment is Jane, and not wanting her to feel any guilt for what happened.

"No Jane, don't say that. This wasn't your fault, and I'm... _we're_ all glad that you're awake and healthy." I say, glancing up at my children as I emphasize the _we're_. She casts a glance at them both, giving a small smile, before turning her attention back to me.

"Has he been too bad?" She asks in a soft tone, almost as if she's embarrassed to ask the question. I close my eyes momentarily, not really sure how to best answer her question. I don't want to upset her, but I also don't want to lie to her either. Unfortunately however, Bella decides she wants to chime in and answer Jane's question for me.

"He's been a right bastard ma, and frankly I'm sick of it." She says, sounding rather annoyed.

"Isabella!" I cry out at her, aggravated with her choice of words.

"What? It's true, tell her Luke." Bella says, lightly smacking her brother on the arm to get his attention.

"I wouldn't quite use Bella's choice of word, but yes, he has been rather difficult." He tells her, causing me to sigh out in defeat. Even though it's the truth, I don't want to add anymore guilt or stress on top of everything I'm sure she's already feeling. She definitely doesn't need that.

"Dammit, I'm so sorry you guys." Jane tells us all, looking from one to the other with a guilty expression, which is exactly what I _didn't_ want.

"It's not your fault ma, he's a grown ass adult, and he should know how to behave. This is all on him, and I'd wish he'd grown the fuck up already." Bella says, causing me lose my cool.

"For the love of god Isabella, control you language, you are a lady!" I cry out, instantly feeling guilty at the shocked expression on her face. I lower my head in shame and attempt to calm my sporadic heartbeat, not wanting to make eye contact with my daughter at this moment. As I continue to keep my head lowered, I hear Jane quietly speak to our children.

"Could you two please give me and your mom a minute?" She asks softly. I hear Lucas give a small affirmative response, and soon the door closes softly behind them. I keep my head lowered, ashamed at my outburst, not wanting to face Jane just yet. She has other ideas however, as I feel her good hand come to rest under my chin, and gently begin to coax my head up so I can look at her.

"What's wrong baby?" She asks in her tender voice she reserves only for me. Simply hearing her voice this way, something I was unsure if I would ever hear again, brings tears to my eyes.

"Oh Maur." She says sympathetically, which only serves to make me feel more guilt. She should most definitely not being comforting me right now. It should be the other way around.

"Talk to me honey." Her soft tone, one of patience and understanding, helps me gain some composure so I can talk with her. I wipe the tears from my eyes and take a deep breath before addressing her.

"I'm sorry Jane, I didn't mean to lose it on her. I feel so ashamed." I say weakly, my voice lacking confidence.

"Why are you sorry? I'm sure you've been under an immense amount of stress. I'd say you're entitle to lose your cool every once in a while. And we both know Bella will understand."

"Yes, I know, but I still feel bad. I should not have yelled at her, she didn't deserve that." I say, feeling tears begin to make their way back through my ducts.

"I really wish you didn't have to go through all that you did. It's my fault, I shouldn't have left that night." Jane says, this getting my attention immediately. I look up at her, determined to make her understand that this isn't her fault, that she can't continue to take blame.

"Please stop saying that Jane. We had an argument, we're both to blame, but your accident was no one's fault but that drunk driver. In no way was that your fault, and if he hadn't been there, you never would have gotten hit, and you would have come home to me. We would have talked and worked things out, so don't you _dare_ feed me that crap." I say, my tone becoming rather serious. Jane looks at me with a small smile, her eyes beginning to crinkle around the edges, immediately softening my demeanor.

"Yes dear." She says playfully, effectively killing any sort of tension left in the room. I return her smile, and grab her hand to bring to my lips. I plant a small kiss over her scar, allowing my lips to linger a few moments.

"I love you Maur, so much, and I truly am sorry for everything. I promise though, that I'm here now, and we'll get everything sorted out." She says, or more like promises, her voice full of conviction. I don't answer, save for a nod, removing my lips from her hand. The door opening pulls both of our attention, and I turn my head to see Bella poking her head into the room. She has an apologetic look on her face, which instantly makes me feel guilty again.

"Sorry mom's, but I need to get to work, a bus was just hit by a semi on the freeway and several injured people are in route. They need all hands on deck."

"Of course honey, go save lives." I say immediately, and call out to her right before she leaves the room.

"And I'm sorry honey, for earlier." I receive a smile in response before she begins to speak.

"No need mom, it just goes to show you are human after all." She says with a wink before exiting the room. I turn back to Jane, who has a smile plastered on her face, us both no doubt remembering back to when Jane had Bella convinced that I wasn't human.

 *****Flashback*** - About 19 years ago...**

 _I open my eyes slowly to find my wife and 7 year old daughter staring down at me curiously. I have to blink a few times to clear the sleep from my eyes. I look around and notice that I've fallen asleep on the couch, no doubt passing out after getting home from an exhausting day at work. I slowly begin to sit up, and once I do, I receive a gasp from Bella and a chuckle from Jane._

 _"Mommy, why'd you never tell me you were a cyborg?" Bella asks me, causing me to become rather confused._

 _"What do you mean honey? I'm not a cyborg." I tell her, looking up at Jane with a scowl, this being another one of her jokes at my expense. It has her weird sense of humor written all over it._

 _"Mama said that you were a cyborg, and that you were all drained of battery, cuz I couldn't get you to wake up." She tells me, looking at Jane for conformation. I find myself doing the same, but more for an explanation as to what is going on._

 _"Honey, I was just explaining to our daughter that you aren't actually a human, but a helper robot who happened to steal my heart way back when. I fell in love with you and we ran off so we could be together." Jane says, and I can see that she's trying awfully hard not to laugh at her own joke. All she receives from me is an intense glare, as I really don't want to have to deal with this right now. Bella is extremely gullible, and I don't want her believing that I am a robot. I turn my attention away from Jane and back to my daughter, taking her little hands in mine so that I have her undivided attention._

 _"Baby, mommy is not a robot, your mama just thinks that she's funny, and she told you a made up story because she's bored." I say to her in my soft motherly voice, hoping to get through to her. My words have no affect on her however, and she just stares back at me with a confident smile._

 _"Mama told me you'd say that, and that you would be lying to keep your cover. I don't care though mommy, I still love you." Bella says sweetly, kissing me on the cheek before she takes off running towards the stairs, already bored with this conversation. I watch her go until she's out of sight, and then turn back to Jane who's rolling around on the love seat in a fit of laughter._

 _"Very funny Jane. Were you really that bored that you had to make up a ridiculous story like that to entertain yourself?" I ask in an annoyed manner, folding my arms over my chest. It takes several minutes before Jane is able to compose herself, all while I sit and wait impatiently._

 _"Oh that was a good one." She says, her voice much higher than normal because of the laughter. I immediately stand up and smack her on the arm, earning myself a cry of pain from her. I don't bother looking back, instead I head towards the stairs myself, suddenly wanting to take a nice long, relaxing bath. I call out to Jane over my shoulder as I go._

 _"You're making dinner tonight."_

 _"But tonight's your night!" She calls back, sounding panicked._

 _"Should have thought of that before you pulled that prank." I say, and make my way upstairs with a satisfied smile etched on my face._

 *****End Flashback*****

It took me a solid year to finally convince my daughter that I wasn't a robot, and to this day she still loves to tease me about it. Now however, I find it a funny little inside joke that reminds me of her childhood. Back then it really annoyed me, but now I'm grateful for Jane's unique sense of humor. It gifted the three of us with a memory, a sweet memory that we can look back on and joke about. That's one of the many things that I love so much about Jane, her ability to make things fun and exciting, especially since that's something I was never good at. It just goes to show that she completes me in ways that no one else ever could. And she's passed the same traits onto our children, which I am so very grateful for. And now the fact that she's awake, and seemingly healthy, I get to spend many more years enjoying this side of her and our children. And now we have another grandchild on the way, something that I'm still in shock about. It's a good shocked feeling however, as I'm so very happy to have another one to spoil. As it stands right now I only have two grandchildren, so I'm excited to add a little Bella to the bunch.

"Where'd you go there gorgeous?" Jane asks, breaking me from my thoughts. I focus my attention on her, and am greeted with her beautiful smiling face looking back at me.

"Sorry, I was just reminiscing about when you had Bella convinced that I was a robot." I say, earning myself a hefty chuckle from my wife.

"Oh yea, that was such a good one." She laughs.

"Hardly Jane." I say back, but I can't quite hide the appreciation in my voice. Instead I just sit and watch her lightly chuckle, relishing in the simple fact that she's here and awake. A happy, content smile falls upon my face, and I reach for her hand once more, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I love you Jane, so very much." I say earnestly, putting all of my love for her into my tone.

"I love you too Maur, and I'm sorry I was away for a while. I'm here now though, and I'm not going anywhere." She tells me, her voice matching mine in her convictions.

* * *

 **Well there you have it for now, let me know what you think. I've already gotten to work on the next chapter, so hopefully it won't take too long to get up. Keep your fingers crossed, lol.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey all, I'm back, and I bring you a special treat. Instead of putting out the next installment to this story, I thought I'd give you all a holiday treat and post a Christmas chapter. This jumps back 22 years to when the kids were little, and it's Christmas Eve at the Rizzoli-Isles household. Just to give you some info, in this chapter Lucas is 8 years old, Bella is 4 and Simon is 3. Jane and Maura are around 47. I thought this would be fun, a nice holiday chapter with the kids as youngins again.**

 **This chapter has a bit of both worlds, family fun with the kids and adult fun with our favorite ladies. This has no play into the Tears story line, it's just for fun, so if you don't want to read, you don't have to. It won't hurt my feelings, I just wanted to put this out for anyone who wanted a Holiday chapter.**

 **I hope you enjoy the read, and Happy Holidays!**

* * *

 **Flashback chapter: Christmas - 22 years ago...** **Rizzoli-Isles household, Christmas Eve:**

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." Jane reads in a dramatic voice, succeeding in capturing our children's attention.

All four of them are snuggled up on the couch together under a Christmas blanket that Angela recently made for them. Bella is snuggled into Jane's left side on the edge of the couch, while Lucas is snuggled between Jane and the back of the couch. Little Simon is sitting in Jane's lap, his small arms out helping Jane hold the book. I am currently snuggled under my own blanket on the chair next to the couch, a hot cup of tea in my hand, while I watch this beautiful sight unfold before me. It's a tradition in our family to have Jane read a Christmas story before bed on Christmas Eve, right before the children get to open one present each. Even though the present is only ever holiday pajamas, its still a tradition we hold dear, and the kids loves it so.

"The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there." Jane continues on, all three children staring raptly at the book before them.

"Mama, ares isn't by the chimney!" Bella suddenly cries out, looking in the direction of our Christmas tree, where off to the left on the wall, all five of our stockings are pinned. We don't have a fire place in our house, so we chose to hang the stockings on the wall next to the tree.

"We don't have a chimney sweetie, that's why we put our stockings on the wall by the tree." Jane explains to our four year old daughter. Bella contemplates her mama's words for a moment, before finally nodding her head, seemingly satisfied with Jane's explanation. She snuggles back against Jane, who soon begins to read the story again. She manages to get all the way through without another interruption, and soon all three of our children are up hopping around, ready to open their presents.

"Presents! Presents!" Bella chants out as she hops in place, an excited grin on her face. As he always does, Simon begins to jump and chant the same thing as Bella, which I find simply adorable. Lucas for his part, is sitting patiently on the couch, his eyes glued to the tree where the presents lie.

"Are my munchkins ready to open their one present?" Jane asks in a theatrical voice, causing me to chuckle at her cheesiness. Bella and Simon start hopping around vigorously, while Lucas nods his head up and down rather quickly.

"I don't know, you guys don't look that excited."

"Yea Mama!" Bella yells.

"Presents Mama!" Simon yells after her.

"Please Mama!" Lucas contributes, all three of their cheers causing a giant grin to befall Jane's face. I decide its my turn to step in and hand out the gifts. I set my cup down on the coffee table and toss my blanket to the side. Once my children see me get up from my chair, they start almost shaking with excitement.

"Alright you three, park your butts while mommy gets your presents. We're going from youngest to oldest, so Simon gets to open his present first." Jane tells them while I busy myself grabbing their gifts. I have a present for Jane under the tree as well, but it can't be opened with small eyes present, so I leave that one where it is. I grab the three medium size packages and turn back around. I'm greeted with four smiling faces, three of which are gleaming with excitement. I hand Jane Bella and Lucas' gift to hold, and then hand Simon his as he sits patiently on the couch. Bella and Lucas are on either side of him, and Jane and I are sitting on the coffee table so we won't miss a single reaction.

Simon immediately tears into the wrapping, his focus so intense Jane would say that he might burn a hole in the paper. My smile only grows in intensity as he continues to make his way through the paper. He finally gets it all off, turning the items inside around to find his pajamas. Jane and I purchased him a Spider man fleece pajama set, long sleeve of course. Simon's eyes simply light up when he sees them, and he hugs the cloth to his chest before looking at Jane and I.

"Spidey, yay!" He exclaims, doing a little bouncing dance in place.

"Do you like them buddy?" Jane asks, receiving a vigorous nod in reply from our youngest son.

"Yea mama, tanks!" He says to her, his face covered in an adorable smile.

"Thank your mommy too, she helped pick them out." Jane tells him. He turns his attention to me, giving me a cheesy dimpled smile.

"Tanks mommy!"

"You're welcome baby. I'm glad you like them." I respond to him.

"Alright Bells, your turn now." Jane says to our daughter, wanting to move on with the present opening excitement. Bella instantly tears into hers, ripping the paper apart in record time. Her face lights up when she sees the fluffy pile of pink in her lap. We found her some fleece pajamas that were covered in cute little puppy faces, faces that look almost exactly like Cooper did when he was a puppy. As soon as I saw them, I knew we had to buy them for her, and by the look on her face, I know we made the right choice.

"Cooper!" She exclaims, holding the pajamas up so she can get a better look, also allowing the rest of us to as well.

"Thanks you mommy, mama." Bella says politely, looking from me to Jane, before hugging her pajamas to herself.

"You're welcome bug, those will look so cute on you." Jane comments, earning a pleased smile from our daughter.

"Alright bud, last but not least." Jane tells Lucas, who has been sitting patiently this whole time. He smiles at Jane and slowly begins to open his present. Unlike his two siblings before him, he chooses to be gentle with the wrapping, essentially unwrapping in the way it was wrapped. He carefully plucks each piece of tape up, unfolding it piece by piece. I can tell that Jane is getting somewhat impatient, but she stays quiet, allowing Lucas to go at his own pace. Finally he gets it all undone, pulling away the paper to reveal his pajamas. His face lights up in a smile too, and he looks up at us both happily.

"You got me Batman pj's. Thanks moms." He says sweetly, and then gingerly begins to remove his gift. He holds the shirt up first, finding a picture of Batman striking a heroic pose on it. He sets it down after a moment and picks up the pants, which are just covered in the Batman symbol. I am so pleased that he is happy with his set. I was a little worried about how we were going to arrange this, what with Simon and Lucas liking the same superhero, but not too long ago Lucas came to us and asked if we could start buying him Batman things, letting us know that he was now his favorite superhero. Jane and I were all too happy to oblige, what with the Spider man battle between our two boys being an issue for quite some time.

"Alright you three, go put them on and come back down so we can see!" Jane exclaims, more than a little excited to see them dressed up. All three immediately hop up and rush towards the stairs in excitement, also just as eager as Jane to try on their new outfits. I watch on in amusement as they go, and suddenly feel Jane's strong arms wrap around me.

"This is fun, I love being a parent around Christmas time." She says happily to me.

"Only around Christmas time?" I ask skeptically, although I know she didn't really mean that.

"Oh absolutely. Every other time of the year they're just little hellions." She says playfully, and plants a quick kiss on my lips. I immediately protest once she removes said lips, myself not being done with our kiss.

"Hey, bring those back." I whine, and she gives me playful smile.

"Oh, I'm ever so sorry Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles, let me get right on that." She says seductively, and then slowly leans in to plant her lips once more to mine. This kiss is much better, its hard and passionate, and so full of promises of what is to come later tonight. We get lost in our kiss, because seemingly all too soon, our children's arrival breaks us from our moment.

"Gross mom's, get a room." Lucas is the first to say as he sounds revolted. Jane pulls away from me with a glare directed at her son, while I can't help but chuckle.

"Oh you just wait young man. One day all you will want to do is kiss pretty girls like your mom." Jane says to him, and all three of us get a weird look on our faces. Lucas, because he finds the idea of kissing girl gross, and Jane and I because she said a girl like me. Its just weird to think of my son being with a woman who is like me, but we both decide to shake it off, and instead pay attention to our children.

"I'm never going to kiss girls mama." He says proudly to Jane. She just chuckles back in return.

"Whatever you say bud." Jane retorts back.

Its now that we really notice our children, all dressed snug in their new pajamas. They each look simply adorable, and it almost brings tears to my eyes.

"Oh, you three look so cute!" I gush out, unable to help myself. Bella gives me a giant grin in response, followed by Simon of course. Lucas looks somewhat embarrassed at being called cute, and decides to voice it.

"I'm not cute mom, I'm handsome." He says matter-of fact.

"Oh right, sorry baby. You look very handsome in your Batman pajamas Lucas." I say with a smile, earning one back in return.

"I'm liking the new outfits guys, you'll sleep sound tonight." Jane offers, looking to me briefly before speaking once more.

"In fact, you three better get off to bed so that Santa will come."

"Yay, Santa!" All three of them exclaim, hopping up and down in place.

"Mommy, did we get the cookies and milk out?" Bella yells out at me, too excited to use her inside voice.

"Yes honey, the plate of cookies is on the kitchen counter, and I'll make sure to set out a glass of milk too." I reassure her.

"Is he gonna eat them all mama?" She asks Jane next, looking questioningly at her.

"I'm sure he'll eat at least a few honey. Remember, he has lots of houses to visit, with lots of other cookies to eat. He does love cookies though, so I know he'll eat some." Bella seems satisfied with this answer, so I decide it is now officially bedtime.

"Alright my loves, lets go get tucked in, its bedtime." I tell them, standing up so I can escort them upstairs. This is the one night out of the year where my children won't complain about bedtime. They want to go to sleep just as much as I want them to. Santa is a rather good incentive for early bedtime. Jane stands up after me, and together we all make our way upstairs. Jane and I quickly take turns tucking each child in, giving hugs and planting kisses as we reassure them that Santa is in fact coming. After that is done, we wrap our arms around each other and make our way back downstairs for some quiet time on the couch before we have to start putting out presents.

Jane and I decided when we first had Lucas that we were going to do Santa, but only on a small scale. What with him not actually being real, and the fact that parents are the ones who have to buy the presents, we didn't want to put too much into that. Of course, my family is well off because of my financial standings, so we have the means to provide our children with much more than other families can. I didn't want my children bragging about the nice toys and items Santa brought them to say a classmate at school, because what if that child's family didn't have the same means as us? It would be cruel and unfair to demonstrate that Santa brought my children rather nice, expensive things, when he only brought small inexpensive things to another child. That is why from Lucas' very first Christmas, there were only two smaller presents from Santa under the tree, and the remainder was from Jane and I.

We like to display the presents out and open on the couch, each child getting their own cushion, while Santa's presents, presents from friends and family, and presents for Jane and I remain under the tree. Those have already been taken care of, but we have a whole office full of things that need to be set up. This is Jane's favorite part, orchestrating each item on the couch just so, so that it is enticing for our children. Her eyes light up with joy, like she's the child walking out on Christmas morning. This is my favorite part, seeing her get so into it, it makes me fall in love with her just that little bit more each year.

"So what do you say I give you a nice foot massage while we watch one Christmas special on TV, then we can get to work on setting up Christmas?" Jane asks me as we sit down on the couch.

"That sounds amazing honey." I tell her, moving myself so that I am on the opposite side of the couch than her. I stretch out and rest my sock clad feet in her lap. She immediately tosses me the remote to the TV, and then takes my left foot in her hands.

"Wanna get the special up and running?" She asks as she gets to work removing my socks. I smile at her before turning the TV on, moaning out when she pushes her thumbs into the center of my foot. It feels simply amazing, and I can't help but vocalize this.

"Oh Jane, don't stop." I find myself moaning out to her, my eyes closing in pure bliss. I hear her soft chuckle, that deep timber that lets me know she's rather enjoying the sounds that I'm making.

"Don't worry hon, I don't plan on it." She purrs back to me, and a familiar tingle makes its way through my body, settling low in my stomach. What with Christmas keeping us rather busy, Jane and I haven't had much personal time together, and once night falls, we're both too tired to really do anything except sleep, so it's safe to say that we are both more than ready to have some intimate time together. I know that we need to get Christmas set up before we can head to bed, but I also know that if Jane continues with her foot massage, that I will end up just taking her here on the couch. I don't really want that to happen, so reluctantly I open my eyes and move my feet from her grasp. She looks at me rather confused as I move to sit up on the couch.

"If you continue on with that, we'll end up making love on this couch, and I don't think you want that happening here." I offer in way of explanation, and a look of understanding befalls her face.

"As tempting as that sounds, I hear you. I don't want the kids' presents to lie on top of our love nest." She says, and I can't help but scrunch up my face at her choice of words.

"How about you just hold me while we watch this show, and then when it's over we can get things set up. I'd like to get it taken care of rather quickly because I have plans for you that involve a good amount of time." I say, my voice dropping a few octaves at the end. I can visibly see Jane's eyes darken at my words, but she schools herself, instead opening her arms to invite me in. I happily move into her embrace, and we snuggle up quickly and begin to watch our Christmas special. In what seems like no time at all, the show has ended, and Jane and I are soon gathering all of the presents to set out.

Jane lights up like a small child as she goes about putting things here and there, moving some around until it's all out, and to her liking. I am merely there as support, offering my approval once the whole process is complete. I stand back once she's done and take a few pictures of the couch and the stockings, before setting the camera down on the coffee table and heading to the tree. I reach around the back, grabbing the present I was looking for, and move to stand in front of my wife. She's looking at me curiously, as I have the present behind my back. Even though it's wrapped, I still feel the need to keep it from her view.

"What you got there gorgeous?" She asks playfully, as I'm sure she has an idea of what's in the box. I've dropped hints, and the fact that I didn't allow her to open it in front of the kids gives way to the fact that it's for adult eyes only.

"Oh, just a little something for you, although it's more for the both of us, but either way." I say, pulling the present out from behind my back and handing it to her with a giant smile. I am very excited for her to open it, and she does not disappoint. Her eyes first light up, and then darken we she sees what's inside. Quickly she reaches in and pulls out the small amount of red fabric, holding it up to get a better look.

"Hot damn." Jane says, her eyes taking in the Christmas themed lingerie I purchased. Red lace material creates sort of a wrap, with a tie just under the breasts to keep them hidden. Soft white fluffy material lines the outer edges, which extends up into a hood. There is also a small red lace thong to go with it, as the wrap will show my stomach, not extending down past my hips. All in all it's a very sexy piece, and by the look on Jane's face, she's loving it already.

"Is this for you or me to wear, cuz _dear god_ I hope its for you." She says a moment later, her tone laced with arousal and excitement. I reach out and take the article from her.

"It's for me to wear for you. I just wanted to see your face when you unwrapped it." I tell her in a sultry voice.

"As fun as that was, I'd much rather unwrap you baby. So hurry and go put that on, and I'll head up once you're done." She instructs me, smacking my ass as I walk by her. I let out a squeal at her actions, and start giggling as I make my way upstairs. My body is absolutely humming with excitement and arousal as I head up to get dressed for my wife. I know I will have just as much fun being unwrapped as Jane will have unwrapping me. Suddenly an idea pops in my head of what I could have done instead of buying this outfit, and I decide to file it away for next year. She says she wants to unwrap me, I could have just wrapped my breasts and my lower region in wrapping paper. That way she literally could have unwrapped me. I smile to myself and my wonderful plan, filing it away for next year, and then quickly head into our bathroom to get changed.

* * *

Jane is sitting on the bed when I finally emerge from the bathroom. She looks bored until her eyes fall upon me, and instantly her eyes light up with excitement.

"Holy shit Maur."

"Language Jane. That was very naughty of you." I say to her, allowing my voice to dip down into a sultry tone. A wicked grin falls upon my face as I begin to slowly make my way over to her. I make an extra effort to sway my hips from side to side as I saunter, succeeding in capturing her gaze. She's so enticed by my body, almost as if she's in a trance, and it serves to delight me very much. I absolutely love that I have this sort of control over Jane, that my body can essentially fry her brain, to where I am the only thing she can think about and pay attention to. Even after so many years together, and three children, we still can't seem to get enough of one another. And I find Jane just as irresistible as she finds me. It works out quite well for us in the intimacy department.

"I don't know whether to take you right here and now, or frame you and keep this image forever." Jane mumbles out as I approach. I gently push her legs apart so I can stand between them, and take her face in my hands. I lean down, planting a promising kiss upon her lips, one that leaves no doubt for what is to come next.

"How about less talk, and more action my love?" I husk out once our kiss is broken. She's looking up at me through hooded eyes, and I find it amusing that she is so thoroughly entranced, rendering her almost completely incapable of getting things started. Jane is usually so take charge when it comes to our sex life. She likes to have control the majority of the time, which I am fine with, but there are times where she's willing to give it up. It would appear that tonight is one of those times, and I am quite excited about this fact.

"Take off your clothes Jane." I command her in a sultry voice. She nods her head and starts to quickly remove her shirt.

"Slowly, Jane." I tell her, wanting to savor each delicious morsel of skin that is revealed to me. She obeys my command and slowly starts to remove her clothing, piece by piece. I watch on excitedly as her beautiful olive skin starts to appear, and find that once her shirt and pants are off, I can no longer control myself. I reach out and grasp both straps of her bra, quickly pulling them down her shoulders and off her arms. This action causes her magnificent breasts to spring free from their confinement, on full display for my viewing pleasure. Next, I not so gently push on her shoulders, causing her to fall back on the bed. I waste no time grasping the edges of her black cotton panties and pulling them off in one swift motion.

Finally, her naked body is on full display for me, and I take a moment to marvel at it. Even after being married for 9 years, she still is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on, and I want her more and more every day.

She's looking up at me expectantly, waiting for me to make the first real move. I raise my eyebrow and smirk mischievously down at her, letting her know that things are about to get wild.

"Maur please." She moans out, clearly unhappy with the pace at which we are going. If she wants me to hurry up and get things started, then that's exactly what I'm going to do. I immediately reach my right hand up and towards the tie between my breasts, the one holding the thin lace fabric over them. My left hand settle first on my lower stomach, and I begin to move it tantalizingly up my stomach, all while my right hand slowly begins to pull the string loose. Jane's eyes visibly darken as she watches me, and I give her one more smirk before the string falls loose and the tie opens up. My timing is perfect, as my left hand makes it to the show right as my heaving breasts are exposed. I waste no time cupping my breasts and squeezing them, putting on a show for my wife. My eyes close with the pleasure I feel, so I fail to see Jane get up from her lying position on our bed.

"Let me do that." She husks out at me, startlingly close, and my eyes shoot open just in time for her lips to make contact with mine. Her hands push mine out of the way, and are soon massaging and playing with my breasts. I let out an involuntary moan against Jane's lips and mold my body against hers.

"God you are so sexy in this outfit." Jane whispers into my ear after she breaks our kiss. She starts nibbling on the lobe, and I feel my eyes roll into the back of my head at the pleasurable sensation.

"Although, I think you'll look much better out of it." She husks once more, and I suddenly feel her hands abandon my breasts, moving instead to not so gently push the fabric from my shoulders. The sham falls to the floor at my feet, leaving me only in the red lace panties. I don't have any time however to think before Jane is picking me up and tossing me onto our bed. I let out a squeal of surprise at her sudden actions, and then feel a serge of arousal hit my core. Jane wastes no time practically ripping the soaked material from my body, and then she molds her naked form to me. The feel of her weight on top of me, and the deliciousness of her ridged nipples rubbing against mine, are almost enough to make me cum. I close my eyes tightly however, as I want this night to last longer than a couple of minutes.

Once again I feel Jane's lips crash against mine, and we begin kissing hungrily. Like I mentioned earlier, it has been a few weeks since Jane and I have been able to be intimate, as our busy schedules, and the holidays, have gotten in the way. I'm sure she is just as ready to cum at this moment as I am, but I am also sure that she wants to make this last longer as well.

"Jane, please." I moan out once my lips get a momentary reprieve. Jane starts kissing the sensitive skin of my neck as her left hands begins a journey towards my breast.

"Please what baby?" She purrs into my ear as her nimble finger closes around my stiff nipple. I give a small cry of pleasure at the action, momentarily unable to answer her.

"Touch me." I manage to moan out after a moment.

"I am touching you." She's teasing me, I can feel her grinning against my neck, but I can't be bothered to care right now. All I can focus on is her amazing touch, and how badly I want her to make me cum. I do know, however, that that is what she wants me to tell her. Boost her ego before she gives me what I want. Little does she know that I don't really care about that either. In my mind, we both win.

"Fuck me Jane." I cry out in the sexy, neediest tone I can, and am instantly rewarded with her fingers pushing into me. I am so wet, that she meets no resistance, and is soon fucking me with a hard steady pace. My back arches off the bed at the wondrous feeling of Jane moving her kisses down my body. I know what this means, and my belly starts to tighten with anticipation. I spread my legs wider to accommodate my love, and look down to see the magnificent sight of her between them. She smirks at me briefly, and even gives a wink, before diving into my core.

Her mouth immediately latches onto my aching clit, and I cry out her name in pure ecstasy. The pressure of her sucking, mixed with her steady pace in and out of me, has me cumming almost embarrassingly fast. My back arches off the bed one last time, and I give a silent cry, holding my body stiff for several long seconds as my vision goes white hot.

I fall back down to our bed with a soft thud, and I can feel myself just mold right into the mattress. I can feel Jane making her way back up to join me, and soon we are kissing softly. I can taste myself on her tongue, and it makes me smile. I always feel so euphoric after she makes love to me, as it's such a beautiful testament to how much she knows, and adores me. She really knows how to play my body and give me the most earth shattering orgasms. Simply put, she is an amazing wife and lover, and I want to show her how much I appreciate that.

I open my eyes and see her smiling adoringly down at me. I give her a smile in return, which quickly turns to a smirk as I find my arousal hitting hard for the second time. This time it will be directed at Jane however.

"My turn." I say to her, and flip our positions so I am now on top, looking down at her.

* * *

I can hear it before I feel it, the faint sound of footsteps, getting louder as my three children approach. I am so glad that Jane and I had the forethought to make sure we were dressed in pajamas before falling asleep last night. I knew the children would be up bright and early, coming in to our room to wake us up for Christmas, and it would be rather awkward if they found us naked in bed. I am not quite ready to have that talk with them yet, and I _know_ Jane isn't either.

I continue to lay snuggled against Jane's chest, my eyes closed but my ears alert as I continue to listen. I can tell that they are attempting to keep quiet, but they keep whispering things to each other. I hear the door open and all three of them shuffle in, quiet giggles filling the air. Suddenly I feel Jane's jaw move ever so slightly, indicating that she too is awake, and finding our children to be quite humorous. I smile against her neck, lettering her know I am awake as well. I feel her arms tighten around me ever so slightly; an acknowledgement.

"Bells, go wake them up." I hear Lucas whisper to his little sister. I have no doubt that Bella is the leader of this little invasion. She is quite the mastermind when it comes to getting the things she wants, and she has no problem getting her brothers to follow along with her. Even though she is only 4 years old, she just has a way about her. I find it absolutely adorable, even when she's using it on me. Jane doesn't like it as much, as she knows that it will come back to 'bite us one day' as she so eloquently says. **  
**

"Shh." Bella whispers out to him in response, not being quiet what so ever. I feel faint a chuckle come from Jane, as her stomach does a few small bounces. We are both wide awake, but ultimately just waiting for our children to make the first move. And Bella wastes no time getting things started, as I feel her begin to crawl onto our bed. She comes to rest at our feet, waiting a moment before she announces her presence.

"Wake up mommies!" She cries out loudly, and before we know what's happening, our small daughter is pouncing on us, knocking the wind out of Jane, and pushing my head into her jaw. An 'oph' sound escapes her lips, before a cry of pain at my skull coming into contact with her jaw. My eyes fly open and I move so I can assess the damage done to her. I briefly look at Bella, who has a guilty look on her face, before turning back to Jane. Her eyes are closed in pain, and she's holding her jaw.

"Let me see. Are you alright?" I ask, gently moving her hand out of the way. I can see a faint red mark, but essentially she's fine. Just a small amount of pain that will go away shortly. Ever the concerned wife however, I must make sure that she is okay, and kiss any potential injuries away.

"Yea, I'm fine." Jane says as I lean down to plant a soft kiss over the red mark.

"Sorry mama." Bella says in a small voice, bringing our attention back to her.

"It's okay bug, you didn't know that would happen." Jane says to her lovingly, not wanting to upset our daughter on Christmas day.

"How were you supposed to know that mommy has such a big head." Jane says teasingly, pointing a knowing look my way. I hear Bella giggle next to me, followed by both of my boys and my wife. I stick my tongue out at Jane, finding no other option but to play into the childish display taking place.

"Very funny Jane. I guess no presents for you then." A gasp comes from both my wife and daughter, Jane's mocking, but Bella's completely genuine.

"No mama, you needs your presents!" She cries out to her ma.

"Hurry, tells mommy sorry. Then she'll let you has your presents!" She instructs Jane, a desperate look on her face. Jane has to try rather hard to control her laughter, I can tell, choosing to wait a moment before addressing me. When she does, I am greeted with an apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry Maur, can you ever forgive me?" She says, batting her eyelashes at me. I let this stew for a moment, as I want the suspense in the room to grow. Each of my children are watching on with rapt attention, and I find the whole situation rather humorous. Finally I decide that action is needed if I am to forgive Jane.

"Fine, but only if you give me a kiss." I tell her, earning myself a smile in response.

"Done and done Mrs. Rizzoli-Isles." She purrs before leaning over for a loving kiss. I smile against her mouth as each of our children groan in turn, clearly not happy with the open display of affection they are witnessing.

"Ew mommies, get a room." Lucas says, and I break way from our kiss to address him.

"We are in my room young man." I say, and chuckle when he starts to look embarrassed.

"Well, since mommy has forgiven me, and allowed me to have my presents, I think we should all head downstairs and get the party started." Jane says, changing the subject.

"Yay, Christmas!" All three of them cry out at the same time. The boys start hopping in place at the foot of the bed, and Bella excitedly jumps into Jane's lap.

"What do you say mommy, should we take the kids downstairs so they can open up their presents?" Jane asks me, specifically drawing attention and wanting to get the kids excited.

"I don't know Jane, I haven't received my morning kisses from them yet, and neither have you." I say playfully to her. I don't really have much time to react as my boys instantly jump up onto the bed to give us our kisses. Lucas and Simon come to me first, each boy taking a cheek, while Bella plants a loving kiss on Jane's lips. I wrap my arms around the boys, hugging them tightly to me for a moment, before it's time to switch. Bella climbs eagerly into my lap and gives me a kiss as well, as the boys do the same with Jane.

"Okay, I think we're ready. What do you say Jane?" I ask my wife with a smile.

"Lets go!" Jane yells, causing the kids to jump off the bed in excitement. They each rush out of our bedroom and towards the stairs. Jane and I quickly get out of bed, needing to catch up to our children.

"Wait at the top of the stairs you three!" Jane calls out to them, not wanting them to get downstairs before us. Its tradition for us to be in the living room while the kids wait at the top of the stairs. I get my camera ready to take pictures of their reactions to what they see, capturing Christmas memories for years to come.

"Alright, you know the drill. Mom and I are going to go downstairs and see what's there. You three will wait here until we tell you that you can come down. Understand?" Jane receives three eager head nods in response.

"Great. Honey, lets go." Jane says to me, holding her hand out for me to take. I do so quickly, and together we make our way downstairs. I head towards the coffee table once we reach the living room, grabbing the camera, and turn back around to join Jane where she stopped by the couch. Once I have the camera all ready to go, I give Jane the okay, and she shouts out to the kids for them to come down.

"Alright, you can come down now." She shouts out to them. As soon as the okay is given, they start rushing down the stairs, their faces alight with joy. Bella is the first to the bottom, followed closely by Simon, with Lucas walking patiently behind them. Once they see the couch full of toys, their faces light up even more, and they rush over to see what they have received. I snap what seems like a ton of pictures as they all come to stop in front of their respective couch sections.

"Legos!" Simon shouts out as he sees the set on his portion of the couch.

"No way! You guys got me Batman?!" Lucas shouts excitedly as he picks up the limited edition Batman figure Jane picked out for him.

"Spidey!" Little Simon yells out next as he picks up the Spider man action figure he received.

"Nerf guns, no way! Thanks mama!" Lucas says turning around with a giant smile on his face.

"Thank your mother too, she helped pick them out." Jane tells him.

"Thanks mommy!" Lucas says to me, and my heart does a little flutter. He hasn't called me mommy in awhile. He thinks he's too old for that, instead choosing to just call me mom. Its funny how the addition of two simple letters gives the whole word a different feel to it, enticing feelings within me.

"Tanks mommies!" Simon calls out to us both, a cheesy smile on his face, before he turns back to his section of fun things. I smile proudly at this, until I notice Bella hasn't said or done anything, deciding to find out why.

"Bella honey, did you notice your things?" I ask softly, walking a little closer to her. As I do, I notice shiny tears falling down her face, which makes me instantly worried.

"Baby, whats wrong?" I ask concernedly, kneeling down next to her to assess any damage. My actions only seem to cause her more distress because she closes her eyes as more tears begin to fall. I look up at Jane desperately, not really sure what to do. She comes to rest next to us, and takes Bella by the shoulders to turn her towards her.

"Isabella, what's wrong baby girl?"

"I's juss, juss, juss so h-happy!" She finally cries out, and crashes against Jane, burying her face against her neck. This takes Jane by surprise, but she quickly wraps her arms around Bella.

"Honey, why are you crying?" Jane asks her softly after a moment, and she gently coaxes Bella out from her hiding spot against her chest. Bella takes a moment to wipe her eyes and gain some composure before answering.

"I gots everything I wanted, and I's just so happy."

"So those are happy tears?" I ask her, and receive a nod in response.

"I'm glad you're happy baby, why don't you try a few things out?" Jane encourages her, gesturing to the couch. Bella nods her head again, and turns around in Jane's embrace. She begins to go through her things happily, so Jane and I feel comfortable enough to step back. We head over to the love seat, sitting down so we can watch our children play and have fun. After a good solid half hour of this, the children suddenly remember that there are presents under the tree, and as if in sync, ask us to open them at the exact same time.

"Well... I guess." Jane says to them, and gets up from her place curled up next to me.

"Okay, let's all sit in a circle and I'll pass you each a present. Littlest gets to go first, so that's you Simon, then we'll take turns going in order until they're all gone." Jane tells the kids as she picks one present each and hands them out. After she's given them each one, she hands me mine, and takes her seat next to me.

"Alright Simon, go ahead buddy." She tells our youngest, who immediately tears into his gift.

* * *

Several hours later, Jane and I are still curled up on the couch, watching with enjoyment as the children play with their new toys. Simon and Lucas have assembled a mini battle, while Bella is coloring away with the art set she received. Jane is sipping coffee from her 'Best mom ever' mug that the kids picked out for her, while I am messing around with the new tablet she got for me. Its a picture perfect family moment for us, one more to add to the many I have taken over the morning, and I honestly couldn't be happier. I have three beautiful children and a loving and adorning wife. My life truly is perfect. I even have a soft fluffy dog lying at my feet, keeping them warm while he chews happily on the bone he received from 'Santa'. All in all this has been a great day so far, and I can picture it only getting better.

"Well, I'd say another successful Christmas, right Mrs. Claus?" Jane asks softly so that only I can hear. The deep husk of her voice sends chills down my spine, as does her calling me Mrs. Claus. It brings back memories of last night, and how wonderful that was.

"I would be inclined to agree, _Santa_." I say back, giving her a wink. She gives me a playful smirk back in return, and then slowly leans in to give me a kiss.

"Love you Maur, Merry Christmas." She says after the kiss breaks.

"Merry Christmas Jane, love you too." I say, laying my head down on her shoulder, giving a sigh of complete and utter contentment.

* * *

 **Well there you have it, my little holiday contribution. I hope you enjoyed it, and that it gave you warm happy holiday fuzzies inside. I'd like to wish you all Happy Holidays, and well wishes this season. Oh, and don't worry, I'll be back shortly with the next actual chapter of this story. I just really wanted to include this, and we aren't anywhere near Christmas in the Tears timeline, so this is how it had to happen.**

 **Anyways, loves to all, until next time!**


	8. Chapter 8

Have you ever met someone who's really stubborn? Like to the point where you just want to strangle them at times? They simply refuse to follow rules or guidelines if they think it will hinder them in any way? Well those types of people can be a burden, especially if you're the one who has to take care of them when they're injured, and they refuse to follow the rules set in place to help them heal. Jane Rizzoli-Isles is one of those people, and as is her nature, she's refusing to make anything easy on her family by agreeing to follow those said rules and guidelines. Let's tune in and see what the family is up to, and how Jane is making things more difficult than they have to be.

* * *

 **Worcester, Jane and Maura's house 2:10 pm (Two weeks after Jane wakes up)  
**

"Bella honey, can you get the door please?" Mom asks me as we struggle to get ma, with her cast leg and arm, out of the car and into the house. It would have been easier if she had opted to use the chair, but in typical ma fashion, she simply refused to use the damn thing. She said something like even though she's not on the force anymore, she still has a persona to maintain, and that being caught using the wheelchair would be like her committing social suicide. Mom was pissed, but also is typical of that, it's the one thing she can't make ma stop doing, being stubborn.

"Maura, you really don't need to be doing this, I can walk by myself." Ma says in an annoyed way to mom, who only rolls her eyes a her and continues to hobble with her up the walk to the front door.

"Jane, one of your legs is wrapped in a cast, how do you expect me to believe that you can walk on your own?" Mom asks her, which shuts ma up immediately, seeing as mom's right. Instead she just gets a frown on her face, wobbling along next to her wife and son. I chuckle lightly at the whole situation, and recieve a glare from my ma in the process. I still find it funny though, not letting her stare intimidate me like she wants it too.

"Ma, I think we're all too old for your stare to work on us." Lucas says, having picked up on what ma was doing. This earns him a glare as well, but he just laughs it off much like I did.

"I think you're losing your touch honey." Mom says playfully, and we all chuckle at this, well except for ma.

"Come on Maur, you're supposed to be on my side." Ma whines to her as we make it inside the house.

"I am on your side honey." Mom says matter-of-factually, as they start to get ma settled on the couch in the living room.

"Doesn't seem that way, telling me I'm losing my touch." Ma complains to no one in particular, as she's just staring at the coffee table.

"You're still bad-ass ma, we know that. You just don't scare us because we have that same badassness." Lucas tells her, and it actually makes her smile.

"You're right son, you two are bad-ass."

"Must we curse all the time?" Mom asks annoyed from the kitchen as she moves about making coffee for all of us.

"It's a pointless fight mom and you know it." I say playfully to her, knowing my words will make her aggravated. She knows it, we swear in this family, it's just what we do. Mom was never really successful in getting ma to stop swearing, so naturally she passed it on to each of us kids. We weren't allowed to do it when we were kids, so of course when we all grew up it became a regular habit.

She seems like she's about to retort, but then thinks better of it, just giving me a glare instead. I smile back at her to show that I'm just teasing, then turn my attention to my ma.

"Is there anything I can get you mama?" I ask, knowing she secretly loves it when I call her that. My mother is a very tough woman, she always has been. And being a cop, she felt that she needed to keep up a certain persona so that people didn't think that she was weak. Apparently showing emotions as a female cop means you're weak, but whatever. Either way, when she was home with mom and us kids, it was like she was a completely different person, or I guess more herself. She liked all the gushy emotions, and the little nicknames we had for each other. Her eyes would always light up when I called her mama, and to this day they still do. It's one of the things I love so much about my mother. Her ability to be tough when needed, but soft around her loved ones, it's amazing.

"No thanks baby girl, I'm just glad to be home." Ma says in response to my question. Lucas nods at ma's answer and moves to sit down on the couch next to her. I follow suit and grab the remote, turning the TV on and bringing up the game that ma missed while she was out. Her face lights up as soon as she notices, and instantly she settles into the couch to watch the game. Both Luke and I know how it plays out, but we sit contently and watch ma watch the game. It's such a natural thing, to sit and watch a game together, but it's so much sweeter this time around, seeing as we weren't sure if we'd ever have this luxury again. I look over at my brother and make eye contact with him. The look he gives me lets me know that he's thinking the exact same thing I am, and we both smile at each other before turning back to the game. Mom comes in shortly after, carrying a tray of drinks. Two coffees for Luke and I, and two cups of hot tea for her and ma. Surprisingly, ma doesn't even complain about the fact that she didn't get coffee. Instead she kisses mom briefly on the lips, and wraps her arm around her when she settle between us on the couch.

It's been two weeks since ma woke up, but today is the first time things have gone back to relative normalcy. Ma had to stay in the hospital for an extra few weeks as they ran tests first, then monitored her improvement while she started physical therapy. The doctors wanted to be confident that she would be healed enough to function at home before they let her leave. She wasn't too happy about that revelation, but both mom and I convinced her that it would be best, and ultimately keep her away from the hospital once she was finally allowed to leave. These past few weeks have been stressful, but nothing like how it was when she was still in her coma. I got to visit her regularly on my shifts, chatting for several minutes when I had time, something that made my nights.

I also got to watch her progress and get better, which made me even happier. She still has one more week before she can get her casts removed, something that is severely bothering her, but I know that once she does, nothing is going to stop her. Shes going to be 70 years old next month, but if you didn't know that, you wouldn't believe it. Aside from her broken limbs, all of her wounds have healed, and her outlook on this all has improved her spirits, making her seem rather happy. All in all I am super impressed with her recovery as a medical professional, and as her daughter I'm bursting inside with joy. I get to enjoy many more years with my amazing mothers, together, and soon I'll have my own child that gets to spend time with their amazing grandmothers. Thinking about this reminds me of the times I used to spend with my Nona, and how I cherished them so.

 *****Flashback*** - About 15 years ago...**

 _"Where are we going Nona?" I ask as I buckle up in the front seat of my Nona's car. She came and picked me up from school saying that we were going to have a girls day. Lucas and Simon didn't go to school today, as they both had doctors appointments, so it's just me today. Lucas and I are in Middle School, but Simon is still in Elementary School. Mom usually goes and picks him up first, then she comes and gets Luke and I, so it's kinda weird that that's not happening today._

 _"Well, you're mom's are still busy with your brother's appointments, so I thought I'd take you out for a movie and we can get some dinner afterwards. How does that sound?" Nona asks me, and my face lights up in a giant smile._

 _"Cool!" I exclaim to her, and she chuckles at me._

 _"Where's Papa Sean?" I ask, curious as to where my pop pop is. Since he and Nona don't work anymore, they usually spend all of their free time together._

 _"I left him at home with his game. I wanted it to be just you and me sweetheart." She tells me._

 _"Okay." I say happily, content with her answer. We drive in silence for a bit, me just looking out the window at all the cars passing by while Nona drives._

 _"So how's school going?" She asks me after a bit of driving, and I turn my attention away from the window to answer her._

 _"It's good. I really like being in Middle School, and I get to see Luke a lot. Him and Em let me hang out with them sometimes, you know, when my friends aren't there." I say, and I look down at my lap, embarrassed that I let that slip. I hope that she doesn't notice, but being the nosy woman she's always been, she totally does pick up on my tone._

 _"Honey, you made that sound like you don't have anyone to hang out with except your brother." She says, and it sounds like a question, but I know my Nona. She's not asking me, she's telling me, which only serves to embarrass me more. I stay silent, choosing to ignore her question, with hope that she'll drop it. But once again, I know my Nona, and of course she would never pass up the opportunity to delve into my life and find out everything._

 _"Do your mother's know about this?" She asks, and I look up at her immediately with a shocked expression on my face._

 _"Please don't tell them Nona. I don't want them to worry. I just don't have any friends at the moment because my best friend Stacie moved away and I just started a new school. I just need time, that's all." I say in desperation. I know that if she tells my mom, that she'll get all worried and tell me stories about how lonely she was as a child, and I don't want that. If ma finds out, she'll just threaten to beat up all the kids at my school who don't want to be friends with me. Either way, it will be bad for me._

 _"But honey, I thought you had lots of friends? You're such an outgoing girl." Nona says, and I can't help it, but I feel tears begin to fall down my face. I turn my head in an attempt to hide them from her, but she saw them before I had the chance.  
_

 _"Bella?" She asks, her tone that of concern, and confusion at how our conversation headed this way. I wipe the few stubborn tears from my face, wanting to get it together so I don't make this worse._

 _"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Nona asks me after she pulls the car into a parking lot and parks. I still refuse to look at her until she reaches out and lifts my chin up, turning my head so I look at her._

 _"Was it something I said?" She asks, sounding vulnerable, and I mentally kick myself for making her feel like this was all her fault._

 _"No Nona, you didn't say anything, I promise." I reassure her, but she doesn't look convinced._

 _"Then whats the problem honey?" I sigh deeply at her question, knowing that she's not going to let it go until she finds out what's bothering me. I've intentionally kept this a secret because I feel really stupid when I think about it. Maybe it will help me feel better if I tell her though, like get it off my chest. Ma always says it's a good thing to do that. Making up my mind, I take a deep breath before answering her._

 _"I don't have any friends right now because I take after ma, not mom." I say, receiving a look of confusion in return._

 _"I don't understand Bella." Nona says, then waits for me to continue._

 _"Even though I look like my mom, I came from ma, so my physical attributes take after her." I try again, but still receive the same look of confusion. I really don't want to say this out loud, but I guess I have no choice._

 _"I don't have boobs Nona!" I end up practically shouting at her, not meaning to, but it happens anyway. It takes her a moment to actually hear what I said, and then her face breaks out into a smile._

 _"Is that all honey?" She asks, a slight chuckle to her voice. My face suddenly turns to a scowl, and I look at her not amused. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want anyone laughing at how stupid I'm being._

 _"It's not funny Nona." I say, meaning to sound annoyed, but it comes out more as a whine. She picks up on this, and her face softens into that of understanding._

 _"Are you self conscious because you haven't fully developed yet, and other girls in your school have?" She asks softly, and instead of answering her, I just not my head yes._

 _"Sweetheart, that's nothing to be ashamed about. All girls develop differently, and you've seen your ma. She has boobs, and they're proportionate to her body type."_

 _"I know, but all of my friends got their boobs already, and they all decided to make fun of me because I didn't. They got the guys in our school to make fun of me too, and so I decided that I didn't want to be friends with them anymore." I tell her, actually feeling a little bit better for getting this off of my chest._

 _"Well good for you sweetheart. If those girls are going to make fun of you for something like that, then they don't deserve to be your friend." Nona tells me softly. I nod my head in understanding, but it still doesn't make it better._

 _"I wish I took after my mom, because then I would be just like the other girls." I mumble out, half hoping that Nona doesn't hear me._

 _"Can I let you in on a little secret?" Nona says quietly, and I look up at her curiously._

 _"What?" I ask her, and she smiles at me._

 _"Having big boobs is actually more of a curse than it is a blessing. Yes, you get the attention from all the boys, but it's not for you. And they get in the way, they hurt, and the bigger your boobs are the harder it is to keep them in check. You have to buy big ugly bras that dig into your boob, they get really sweaty, and they're just all around not fun. Take it from me, you should be grateful that you don't have them yet, and then when you do and they're small, be grateful for that too." Nona says, and I can't help but chuckle a little at her words._

 _"Its going to be okay honey. And you should talk to your moms when you get home. I promise they're help make you feel better." She tells me._

 _"Oh, and don't think that they'll think you're dumb for feeling this way. They love you, and they've been through the same stuff you're going through now. That's what they're there for honey, to help you." She adds quickly, effectively making me feel much better about this whole thing. I think I will take her advice and go talk to my moms when I get home._

 _I smile at her in understanding, and just like that our talk is over. She puts the care back in drive and we head off towards the movie theater, getting a start on our girls day._

 *****End Flashback*****

"Are you sure you're okay with everyone coming over later honey?" Mom's voice breaks me from my reverie. Her attention is aimed towards ma, asking her about the get together that is planned for later tonight. The whole family has been dying to see my ma outside of the hospital, and for some unknown reason it was decided that they all would come over to the house later on tonight to see her. I think it makes no sense to have this happen the same damn day ma gets home, but by the look on her face right now, I think she's okay with it.

"Yes, I'm okay. I actually want to see everyone. And if it gets to be too much, I'll just have Bella kick them all out." Ma says, aiming a wink in my direction. I chuckle at her and nod my head.

"Don't you worry ma, I got your back." I say playfully back to her as I pound my chest with my fist, then hold up a peace sign.

"See, Bella's got it handled." Ma tells mom, who lets out a chuckle of her own.

"Okay, but the moment you start to feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable, you let me know. I don't want this to be too much for you. And honestly, I'm still skeptical about it all." Mom says, always the concerned one.

"Its okay Maur, I'm feeling good about this. I really miss everyone, and being home is making me feel more normal than I have in the last two weeks. Even though my family is rowdy and obnoxious, they're mine and I love them." Ma says, earning a carrying smile from mom.

"Okay, enough with all this sappy crap. Can we get back to the game?" Lucas asks, lightening the mood in the room immediately.

"Yes, please." Ma says, hitting play on the remote to once more resume watching the game. I smile and lean back into the couch, content to be here with my family.

* * *

"There she is!" Jake bellows out as he comes walking into the living room, enveloping ma in a bone crushing hug once he gets to her. Uncle Barry is standing behind him, a look of concern on his face.

"Baby, she's fragile still, you need to be more gentle." He tells his husband as he rests his hands on his shoulders and pulls him back. Uncle Jake has a sheepish look on his face, obviously not really thinking about what he was doing.

"Oh crap, sorry Jane." He apologizes quickly.

"It's okay Jake, I'm good." Ma says, even though her breath sounds a little winded. I give her a concerned look, but she shoots me a reassuring one right back, letting me know she's okay. I nod my head and stand up to hug my uncles.

"How is my beautiful Isabella?" Jake asks me sweetly as we pull away from our embrace. I smile up at him, secretly loving how he always calls me by my full name. He's done that ever since I was 14, and told everyone I wanted them to because it made me feel grown up and sophisticated. The rest of the family, if they remembered to do it at all, eventually forgot or didn't care, and went back to calling me just Bella or Bell. Not Uncle Jake though, he stayed true to what I wanted, and I love him so for it.

"I'm doing good. Glad to have ma back home and well." I say, and receive a nod from him.

"Yes, I bet that makes you very happy. Now you and your mother can breath easy again." He says, saying the last part softly so my mother's don't hear. I know he's referring to how mom was when ma was in a coma. She was basically a total mess for the first little while, and didn't fair much better as time went on. I know we're all so very grateful that ma is awake and well because we love her, but also because now she's here for mom again. It's like I received two gifts when my ma woke up, not just one.

"Yes, that's one of the things I'm looking forward to, her being able to relax now. She deserves it." I respond back to him. He nods his head in agreement, and kisses me on the forehead before walking around me to hug my mother.

Suddenly a loud scream coming from the front door fills the house, and we all look over to see my little niece Sophie rushing towards my mother with her arms held out wide, a giant smile upon her face.

"Nona!" She cries out, and then practically jumps into ma's lap. For her part, ma does a fine job of hiding the pain she instantly feels upon her granddaughter's landing, but I can still see she's hurting. Little Sophie doesn't know better though, so I know she won't get mad at her. I am waiting for mom to say something however. And sure enough, right on cue mom rests her hand on Sophie's back, rubbing gently to get her attention.

"Sweetie, you need to be careful with Nona, she's still hurt remember?" She asks in a soft voice. Sophie gets a guilty look on her face, and stares up at ma through her eyelashes.

"Sorry Nona." She says, sounding rather sad. Ma instantly wraps her arms around her granddaughter, wanting to comfort her and ease her guilt.

"It's okay baby, I'm fine. Just be a little more careful in the future okay? Just until I'm all strong again, then we can start our wrestle match back up." Ma says playfully, earning a giggle from Sophie, a chuckle from Lucas, and a groan from mom. For some unknown reason, my mother and my niece have developed a strange love for wrestling with each other, and random family members who will participate. My brother thinks its hilarious, and so do I on some level, but mom absolutely hates it. She knows ma's getting up there in age, and she's not as strong as she used to be. Personally I don't see the harm, I mean Sophie's only five years old, and weighs practically nothing. Plus, ma's careful not to hurt either herself or Sophie. Mom still doesn't like it however, and hearing that ma wants to start it back up after she gets better has obviously upset her.

"Jane, honey, do you really think that is wise, given your current state?" Mom asks her in a hushed tone, allowing only us closest to hear the conversation that's about to take place.

"That's why I told her that when I was stronger we'd resume it, not now." Ma says back, clearly not understanding why mom is upset.

"Yes, I heard that part. I just don't think it's the smartest decision for you to resume activity like that, even if you have healed properly. You're not getting any younger honey, and any sort of extreme physical activity could potentially hurt you." Mom offers back, concern etched all over her face.

"It's not like I'm joining the heavy weight championship Maur, it's just me and my five year old granddaughter. I think I can handle that." Ma says, sounding slightly annoyed. Mom looks like she's about to retort, but thinks better of it, deciding to drop the argument, at least for now. I wouldn't put it past her to bring it up again later when it's just her and ma. That's been a thing she's done for as long as I can remember.

"Where's little man." Ma asks, looking around for her grandson. My eyes follow hers to spot Emily heading towards us, holding the car seat with little Liam inside. She sets him down on the coffee table, and mom instantly goes to get him out.

"Sorry we're late, Sophie wouldn't stay in the clothes I put her in, and Liam decided to mess his diaper right as we were leaving." Emily says, already sounding exhausted. Lucas instantly makes his way over to her, wrapping her up in his arms while he plants a loving kiss upon her forehead. I'm sure he can hear the distress in her voice, knowing that she needs comfort. He's a good husband like that, he makes me proud.

"I'm sorry baby, I should have been there to help you out." He says, sounding slightly guilty. Em gives him a soft kiss on the lips and touches her palm to his cheek.

"No need to apologize hon, I managed just fine. Plus, you were needed here to help out your mothers." She says to him, smiling as she averts her attention to ma.

"How are you doing mama?" She asks as she goes in for a gentle hug. Ma wraps her good arm around Em's back to reciprocate the hug before answering.

"I'm doing alright, glad to be home. I'll be even better once I get these damn casts off." She says, earning chuckles from all around. Of course she's already complaining about the casts. It's typical ma fashion, she wouldn't be her if she didn't.

"Well, I'm sure you'll have them off before you know it." Em says, moving to sit down on the chair next to the couch.

"Do you need a drink babe?" Lucas asks his wife in a sweet tone, looking at her expectantly.

"I actually would love a water, thank you sweetie." She responds to him. Luke nods his head with a smile and heads off towards the kitchen. I watch him go before turning my attention back to the people in front of me.

"Where's Oliver, Bells?" My sister-in-law asks after a small bit of silence.

"Oh, he had a surgery scheduled, so he can't make it." I say, giving a sad smile as I think about my fiance. I really wish that he could have been here, because I want so badly to be able to tell my family my good news. Of course my brother and mother's know, but I'd like to tell the rest of my extended family. It is joyous news, and it would add to the happy feeling this gathering has. I don't feel comfortable telling them without him though, so I won't be able to tonight.

"That's rough, I'm sorry. Maybe next time." Em says, offering me a sympathetic smile. I nod my head in agreement with her, suddenly wishing I had a nice glass of wine to occupy my attention with. I have no idea why I suddenly feel so lonely and out of place. It must be my hormones going crazy. All I really know, is that I wish Ollie were here to hold me and make me feel better.

"Are you okay Bella, honey?" I hear called out, and I look up to see my mother staring at me with concern. I clear my throat and nod my head at her before responding.

"Yea, I'm good, I just wish Ollie was here." I tell her, earning myself another look of sympathy in return.

"And I'm sure he wishes he were here with you." Em offers, her attempt at trying to make me feel better. I give her a grateful smile in return, acknowledging her effort.

"I really don't know why I miss him so much." Realizing how that sounded, I quickly start to explain myself, as I receive some rather odd looks.

"No, I know that sounds bad, but I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I saw him this morning, and I'll see him tonight, its just these damn hormones are intensifying everything I feel. It's making my want for him here to comfort me much stronger than usual." I explain, and suddenly receive looks of confusion.

"Hormones? Why would your hormones be intensifying everything?" Em asks me, when suddenly her facial expression turns to understanding, then shock.

"Bells, is there something you need to tell us?" She asks me hesitantly, and I can literally feel my face go bright red. Well so much for waiting to spill the beans. I quickly look to my mom for help, and she nods encouragingly, which actually makes me feel a little bit better. I turn my attention back to my sister-in-law and uncles, who are all looking at me expectantly.

"I'm pregnant." I say, and the whole lot of them erupt into cries of joy and congratulations. I am suddenly taken into my uncle Jake's arms, and he damn near crushes me with a big bear hug.

"Oh my god Isabella, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you honey!" He says excitedly once he lets me out of the hug.

"That's great Bells." Em says, a genuinely happy smile on her face.

"Congrats girl, you and Oliver will make great parents." Uncle Frost says softly, a deep loving smile on his face. I feel a warm fuzzy feeling overcome me, and my face actually starts to hurt from the giant smile plastered on it.

"Thanks guys. I was actually planning one waiting to tell you until Ollie was here, but I guess I ruined that plan." I say, earning a few chuckles in return.

"Well I'm glad you told us, and I'm sure you feel better for having gotten in out, if only to the 6 of us." Em says.

"We actually already knew, she told us when Jane woke up two weeks ago." Mom says to Em, who looks at her kind of shocked, before turning her attention back to me. She actually looks a bit hurt, but I can tell that she's trying to hide it.

"Oh, I see." She says softly, sounding rather upset. I instantly feel bad for not having told her sooner. She's one of my best friends, has been since she came into Lucas' life, and I should have told her.

"I'm sorry Em, things were just crazy and I had a lot on my mind. I should have told you sooner, I see that now." I say, reaching out for her hand. She lets me take it, which is a good sign, but the smile she gives me doesn't reach her eyes.

"It's okay Bell, I understand. A lot has been going on lately, I'm just glad that I know now. And I'm happy for you."

I can't help the tears that suddenly spring to my eyes. They start to fall like waterfalls, and I wipe hastily at the them so they will go away. I can't tell if my tears are from Em trying to be understanding and congratulatory, or if it's the guilt I now feel for not telling her sooner. Either way, I'm sitting here blubbering like a baby with my immediate family looking on in concern.

"I'm sorry guys, these damn hormones." I practically growl out in annoyance.

"I was that same way when I was pregnant with both Soph and Liam. Luke would be stuck on a really hard case, sometimes spending the night at the office, and I would miss him immensely, more so than normal. It would cause me to sit in my room and just cry for no real reason." Emily says, speaking to me but the room in general as well. I look to my mom as she starts speaking, nodding her head as she does.

"Me too. Jane would be out on a case and I would have to be home resting. I would suddenly get this intense feeling of longing for her, and not even in a sexual manner, just the need to have her hold me in her arms and make everything alright. The fact that she wasn't able to do that would cause me to cry as well." She says.

"She'd text me constantly, asking when I'd be home, and tell me how much she missed me. It made those cases so hard to pay attention to. All I really wanted was to get home to my pregnant wife and make sure she was okay." Ma adds, earning a loving kiss from mom in return.

"I hear you on that one ma. Em would text me too, asking if I could let one of my paralegals take over on some of the research so that I could come home to her. I actually did a few times because I felt too bad. Its hard to see your wife so uncomfortable and upset, and there not really being much you can do. I loved being able to hold you in my arms and make you feel better with just my presence." Luke says, directing the end of his sentence to Emily, who gives him a loving smile in return.

"How did you all end up so sappy?" Jake says, suddenly joining the conversation.

"Oh please Jake, you are more sappy than any of them combined. You just only let me see it." Uncle Frost says, causing Uncle Jake to turn bright red with embarrassment. As is customary in our family, we all laugh at the joke, playfully teasing Jake. He gives Frost an annoyed glare for spilling his secret, but we can all see the love behind it so we know he's not really mad.

"I hate to break it to you, but we all know you're a big sap Uncle Jake." I say with a chuckle, and everyone follows suit.

"Watch it Isabella." He warns me playfully, and I just stick my tongue out at him. This effectively lightens the air around us, and I start to feel better.

"So where are your munchkins Frost?" Ma asks her old partner curiously, and it's now I realize that their twins Ellie & Zac aren't here.

"They both had a school function of some sort. Zac had practice and El had to meet up with her pianist to practice for their final." Jake offers in response before Frost can.

"Oh okay, that's cool." Ma says, and I can see the slight disappointment on her face, even though she's trying to hide it. For some unknown reason, the twins hold a special spot in her heart, she's always looking out for them and she always gets so excited when they come over. Ellie and Zac are 6 years younger than me, and both fresh faces on the University scene. Ellie is majoring in musical theater, and Zac is there on a baseball scholarship. I'm not sure what his major is, but I do know he's a damn good baseball player, which makes his dad's and my ma really proud.

"They told me to tell you that they're glad you're home, and that they'll come by to spend some time as soon as they can." Jake tells ma, who gives him a smile, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Mom leans over and whispers something in ma's ear, who nods her head in understanding. I am a little curious about what mom said, but the sudden opening of the front door distracts me. I look over and see my cousins Mila and Gabriella come walking in the door first, followed by my other cousin Alex and my Aunt Sarah. I smile as I see them, but soon a much bigger smile graces my face as I see who is behind them. My Uncle Frankie and his son Angelo are helping my Nona up the steps to my parents house. I am immediately on my feet and heading towards the door, wanting nothing more than to wrap my Nona up in my arms and kiss her face till she pushes me off.

"Nona!" I exclaim as I get to her, and she beams at me as she opens her arms. I make sure to be gentle when I hug her, because even though she's tough for her age, 92 is still old and her body isn't as strong as it used to be.

"Bella honey, it's so good to see you." Nona says to me sweetly as we pull back from our hug.

"I missed you." I tell her, moving out of the way so she can continue to make her way into the house. She wraps her arms around my left that I offer, and I take over helping her into the house.

"I missed you too honey, how have things been?" She asks curiously. Sometimes I swear this woman has a sixth sense or something. She doesn't know about my pregnancy, but she does know that I have something to tell her.

"I do have some news, but I want to share it with everyone, so we have to wait." I tell her, receiving a nod in response. She's at least willing to hear what I have to say on my terms, which I am grateful for.

"Geez Bell, what am I chopped liver?" I hear asked from behind me, and looking back I see Angelo grinning at me.

"Of course not, chopped liver is too good for you to be." I say to him with a wink, and he scrunches his face at me.

"As if cuz." He says playfully back, and I give him a smile.

"Come give me a hug." I tell him, which he does happily.

Angelo and I have a special relationship. He's 4 1/2 years younger than me, but we became really good friends. Even more so than his older sister Emilia, who's only 2 1/2 years younger than me. I'm not really sure why either, we just got much closer than any of my other cousins. I don't mind however, Angelo is a sweet guy, just like his dad. And he'd have to be, being the only boy in a household with 4 sisters.

"How have you been?" I ask him as we make our way into the living room, Nona on my left arm, and Angelo on my right side with his arm wrapped around me.

"I've been good, just chasing the college dream." He says, an air of sarcasm to his tone. You see, Angelo isn't actually in college. Much like my ma, he got accepted, but chose to follow in the family footsteps and become a cop. He wanted to be just like his dad and aunt, and by the way he's accelerating through the academy, I'd say he's going to do a fine job of it.

"Just you wait, before you know it, you'll be out there handing out speeding tickets with the best of them." I tease, and he glares at me as I chuckle.

"Oh be nice Isabella, even though I don't agree with his career choice, I admire his courage and family devotion." Nona says, surprising us both with her positive words.

"Ma." "Angela." Are said simultaneously as we make it to the living room and my mothers spot us.

"Oh Janie." Nona says, her voice thick with emotion. This is the first time they are speaking to each other since before ma's accident. Of course we informed Nona about ma being awake, but were unable to bring her to the hospital for one reason or another. Because of that, this meeting will be rather emotional for both women. Mom helps ma stand while I stay put with Nona, and soon the two are embracing.

"I am so glad you're okay honey." I hear Nona say softly to ma, who actually has tears in her eyes. I look to my mother, and see her face filled with emotion as well as she watches her wife and mother-in-law embrace.

"Me too ma." Ma says to her mother, just as softly. They hug for a moment longer, and then break apart. Ma sits back down with mom, and I help Nona over to the chair so she can sit down.

"Hey Janie." Uncle Frankie says as he approaches, leaning down to give his sister a hug.

"It's good to see you home. We were worried for a bit there." He tells her after the hug. Ma actually looks guilty at his words, although I don't know why. It wasn't her fault that she got hurt.

"I'm sorry Frankie." She apologizes, but he just waves it off.

"No worries, I knew you were tough. Plus, you wouldn't leave your family behind like that." He says confidently, and receives a smile from ma in response.

One by one, each of Frankies kids come up to hug ma, along with Sarah, before moving on to the rest of us. After all the hellos and welcome backs are out of the way, my cousins either take a seat on the floor, or head off in search of something to do. Its only once everyone is settled that ma speaks up.

"Hey Frankie, where's Emilia?" She asks her brother, looking around curiously for her oldest niece.

"She's actually in Cancun with Austin and Jen." Sarah answers, and we all turn our attention to her.

"Oh wow, good for her." Ma says, sounding rather impressed.

"How come we've never been to Cancun?" Ma suddenly asks mom, who looks at her confused for a moment before answering.

"Because you never told me you wanted to go honey." Is mom's answer. Ma for her part, just tilts her head slightly, and gets a look on her face as if to say 'oh yea'.

"She's actually been doing a lot of traveling lately. They went to California for a week last month to go bungee jumping. Then it was off to Florida for a weeks stay in the keys. She's been having a blast." Sarah tells us, a smile on her face as she explains her oldest daughters travels. I can't help the smile that falls upon my face as I picture what fun my cousin has been having. Emilia has always been pretty laid back, just doing what makes her happy. She's in school, but is obviously taking some time off to travel, which I have to admit I am envious of. For the last 9 and a half years, my life has been filled with education and getting my life in order. You have to do that if you want to become a doctor, so I never really had time for fun travels like my cousin. I did go to Paris the summer before I started school, but that was the last vacation I took, and it was to see my grandparents before my life became hectic.

"That's quite a lot of hopping around. How has she been paying for these adventures? Jake and I were looking into booking a trip to Hawaii for the twins and us, and that by itself is pretty pricey." Uncle Frost asks Sarah.

"Maura." Is all Sarah says, and she actually looks a tad upset about this. We all turn our attention to my mother, who doesn't seem phased at all.

"I gave Emilia the money to travel with her friends. She came to me and asked if there was anything she could do for me so I would cover her travel costs. I wouldn't have it, as I wanted to give her the gift of wonderful memories she can keep forever." Mom tells Uncle Frost.

"You what?" Ma asks, shocked. Mom actually turns to her with a confused expression, clearly not understanding ma's exasperated tone.

"I gave her the money she needed for her travels Jane."

"Yea, I heard that Maur, but why? Did you at least work something out for her to do to pay you back?" Ma asks, her tone becoming more quiet as the discussion moves into more personal territory.

"I didn't feel the need Jane." Mom says, sounding like she has no idea why ma is making a big deal out of this. Ma for her part, looks like she isn't sure how to react. I can tell that she wants to talk more about it, just not in front of everyone at this exact moment. She finally gives out a soft sigh, and shoots mom a look that says _we'll talk about this later._

"Hey beautiful." Uncle Tommy says as he suddenly appears and leans down to hug my ma. His sudden presence is something I'm sure everyone in the room is grateful for. He does slightly startle my mother's but soon ma is talking with him and catching up, which effective lightens the mood around us. Lydia files in behind him, taking a seat next to Uncle Frost, and soon everyone is bantering about one thing or another.

The rest of the evening progresses like this, just small talk amongst family and friends. Once everyone makes it to the house and are all settled in, I tell everyone about my good news. They all congratulate me, telling me what a great mother I will make, and thankfully the topic changes rather quickly. I'm glad they all know now, I just wish that Ollie was here to tell them as well. He's such a family man, and I know that he would have loved to be here for the big reveal. He will get his praise though, once everyone sees him. I know they'll congratulate him, which will make him happy. He was so excited when I told him he was going to be a dad. I get a smile on my face as I think back to that night.

 *****Flashback*** - 4 1/2 weeks ago...**

 _Positive. It's weird how one little word can change your life forever. Positive, which means good or useful. It also means completely certain or sure that something is correct or true. Like the fact that I am pregnant. Three pregnancy tests and a trip to the doctor later and it's confirmed that there is indeed a bun in my oven. This simple fact scares the shit out of me. Yes, part of me is excited, but another stronger part, is simply freaking out. And now I have to tell Oliver. Oh crap, how the hell am I supposed to tell him? I know he'll be excited, but are we ready for this? Is anybody ever really ready to have a kid?_

 _Ugh, and now I have to figure out if I want to do this in a clever way, or just come right out and tell him? I feel as if coming up with a clever way is really only for when you've planned to get pregnant, which is_ _definitely_ not _the case with us. I'm just starting to wet my feet with my residency, and Oliver's career is only just starting, but now we'll have a little one that we need to take care of. Oh god, I don't know if I can do this._

 _"What's wrong babe?" Oliver asks as he comes into our bedroom, where I'm currently sitting on our bed, out of my mind with worry. His sudden presence startles me, and he notices as he removes his tie by the dresser._

 _"Bell?" He asks concerned, abandoning his task to head over and check on me. He kneels down on the floor at the foot of the bed, putting himself eye level with me as I'm crouched over indian style. I don't know why, but his close proximity, and most likely the hormones, has me instantly in tears. In a flash he is up on the bed with me, and his arms are wrapped around me_ _comfortingly._

 _"Bella, what's wrong baby?" He tries again, and he sounds almost desperate. I know this isn't fair to him, not explaining why I'm upset, but I honestly can't explain it. My damn emotions have just taken over, and all I can do is cry softly against his chest._

 _I feel his hand start to rub comfortingly circles on my back, and he begins to slowly rock us side to side. After a few minutes, his movements start to calm me, and I am able to pull back from his embrace to look at him._

 _"Are you okay sweetheart?" He asks, taking my cheek gently in his palms. He wipes a few stray tears away with his thumbs, and waits patiently for me to answer, all while giving me a look of sheer love and concern._

 _To hell with it, I'll just tell him._

 _"I went to the doctors today." I mumble out, and he gets a look of confusion on his face. More than likely trying to figure out if I've been sick or not._

 _"Do you have the flu? You have been throwing up a lot lately." He says, and I can't help the small chuckle that escapes me. For a brilliant doctor, he can be very dense at times. I guess when it comes to your personal life, you tend to overlook things you would otherwise notice if it was to do with someone else._

 _"No I don't have the flu." I tell him, and then I take a deep breath, preparing myself for what I'm about to say next._

 _"Ol, ... I'm pregnant." I say finally, and wait with baited breath for him to say something, anything._

 _I think he might be in shock, because all he is doing is staring at me, but then I see a small tear develop in the corner of his eye, and his face breaks out into an ear splitting grin._

 _"Are you serious?" He asks, almost as if he doesn't believe me._

 _"Uh huh." I say as I nod my head up and down._

 _"Oh my god, this is amazing!" He cries out, and suddenly his lips are on mine, and he's kissing me with a passion unlike any I've felt from him before. It momentarily catches me off guard, but then I am kissing him back, and for this moment all of my worries are pushed to the back of my mind. All that matters right now is my future husband and the love that we share for each other. And that same love is what created the sweet little joy that is now growing inside of me._

 _"I'm going to be a dad?" Oliver asks after our kiss breaks, and he's still holding my face in his hands. His face is alight with so much joy, and I can't help the happy tears that start falling down my face._

 _"You're going to be a dad." I choke out, my emotions getting the better of me once more. He crushes me into a hug once more, the emotions flying like crazy between the two of us. I am so happy, and so relieved that he's happy, that in this moment everything is perfect._

 _"Oh Bella, you are amazing. Thank you baby!" Ollie exclaims after several minutes of intense embracing. I look at him confused._

 _"Thanks for what?" I ask him._

 _"For giving me this opportunity. I mean, I always pictured us having kids eventually, but it was never anything concrete until now. And I never realized how much I wanted that until now as well. You've literally made all of my dreams come true baby." I most definitely can't help the tears that fall now after hearing those amazing words._

 *****End Flashback*****

That was such an wonderful moment for us, and now I feel guilty for not including him in the announcement part of this. I know I didn't do it on purpose, but still. At least he'll be able to tell his family, and I know they'll be going crazy with excitement. Oliver is the oldest of four kids, so our child will be his parents first grand-baby. So it's safe to say that the announcement will be monumental for their family. Knowing this, I fill just a little bit better about this whole thing.

"Congrats again Isabella, I'm happy for you." Uncle Jake says as I walk him to the door. Him and Uncle Frost are the last ones to leave for the night aside from myself and Lucas' family, so I figured I'd walk them out.

"Thanks Jake, I appreciate that." I tell him, going in for a hug.

"Love you Bells." Uncle Frost says as I give him a hug.

"Love you too. Both of you." I call as they make their way outside. I watch them get into their car, then wave as they drive away before shutting the front door and heading back towards the living room where my family is. My mothers are cuddled up on the couch together, while Lucas and Emily are starting to gather up their stuff. Em is strapping little Liam into his car seat, and Lucas is attempting to get Sophie's shoes on.

"Come on honey, cooperate with daddy on your shoes so we can go home.

"But I don't want to go home daddy! I wanna stay with Nona and grandma." Sophie whines, and I can tell that it's way past her bedtime.

"I know pumpkin, but we need to get home. You and Liam are up way past your bedtime, and frankly so is daddy." Luke says, and it's now that I notice how exhausted he looks. I know he's been working on a rough case as of late, and the added stress with ma hasn't been helping him any.

"Here, let me try." I say to my brother, and take my niece's shoes from him while bumping him out of the way with my hip.

"Alright Soph, Auntie Bells needs you to put on your shoes. You wanna know why?" I ask in an alluring way, wanting to grasp her attention. And as I expected it works like a charm.

"Why?" She whispers, but not quiet whatsoever.

"It's a secret, so I'll have to whisper it in your ear." I say, and then lean in towards her ear. She leans her head closer to me rather eagerly, an excited smile on her face.

"Your daddy is really tired and he needs to go home and go to bed. You love your daddy right?" I ask her quietly. She nods her head vigorously so I continue.

"Good. So what I need you to do is put on your shoes, and help mommy and daddy get baby brother out to the car. That way, you guys can get home soon and daddy can get some rest. Then tomorrow he'll be a much happier daddy." I continue to whisper to her. Once done, I pull back expectantly, unsure of whether or not my words are going to work. I am greeted with a giant smile from Sophie, who suddenly takes her shoes from my hand and begins to put them on. I look back at my brother, who has a shocked expression on his face, which makes me chuckle.

"How did you do that? What did you say to her?" He asks me in quick succession.

"Sorry, girls gotta keep her secrets." I say sassily to him, which earns me a chuckle from Em.

"Come on daddy, lets go home." Sophie says as she hops up off of the couch, her shoes fully in place. She takes Lucas' hand and begins to pull him towards the front door.

"Whoa, hold on there little miss. Aren't you forgetting something?" Luke asks her as he stops their forward progress. Sophie looks up at him in confusion, clearly not knowing what he's talking about.

"What daddy?" She asks in the most adorably innocent little voice. Luke is most definitely going to have his hands full with her when she gets older.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your aunt and grandma's?" He asks her, and her face lights up as if she really had forgotten about that.

"Oh yea!" She exclaims, and lets go of Lucas' hand so she can come give me a hug.

"Bye Auntie Bell!" She practically yells at me as I kneel down to give her a hug. She wraps her arms tightly around my neck, and gives me a wonderful hug.

"Bye Soph, love you honey." I say to her as she pulls away.

"Loves you too." She tells me before giving me a small kiss on the cheek. Next she heads over to my mothers and crawls into mom's lap first.

"Bye grandma, love you." She says sweetly, and gives mom a kiss before hugging her.

"I love you too baby, thanks for coming over." Mom says to her.

"Uh huh." Sophie says back enthusiastically, all while climbing from mom's lap over to ma's.

"Careful honey." Emily warns her daughter as she does so.

"Bye Sophie, sure love you baby girl." Ma says to her grand daughter, giving her a kiss and a hug.

"Loves you too Nona."

"Alright, lets get going." Luke says, first giving me, and then our mother's a kiss and hug goodbye. Emily follows after, and we're allowed to give little Liam goodbye kisses in his car seat, before the happy little family heads out the door to their car. I follow, then close the door behind them and head back into the house, seeing ma get up from the couch.

"Whatcha doing ma?" I ask her as I approach, already knowing the answer to that question.

"I was just gonna grab a beer." Ma tells me.

"I can grab you one." I tell her, not wanting her to hurt herself in an attempt to get a beverage.

"Bella!" Mom scolds me before turning her attention to ma.

"Jane, you just got out of the hospital, you should not be consuming alcohol."

"Relax hon, it's just one beer. And I'd say I earned the damn thing." Ma grumbles back at her.

"It should be fine mom, just let her have one beer." I say to my mother, who looks at me skeptically before nodding her head.

"Fine, but just one Jane, and then it's off to bed."

"Yes mother." Ma snaps at her, but playfully. Mom rolls her eyes, and I chuckle as I head to the fridge for the beer. I grab one bottle out and pop the cap off before taking it to her.

"Here you go ma."

"Thanks bug." She responds with, causing me to smile. No matter how old I get, she still calls me bug, something she's done since I was little. And even though I'm a grown woman with my own child on the way, it still makes me happy to hear her say it. Overcome with the sudden urge, I lean down and give each of my mother's a kiss on the cheek.

"What was that for honey?" Mom asks when I pull away.

"I just love you two, that's all." There really is no other reason, than that I just wanted to show them affection.

"Wells thanks sweetheart. We're glad you came today, and I'm sorry Oliver couldn't make it. Will he be home tonight?" Ma asks, then takes a swig from her beer. Her eyes close in pure bliss as the flavors explode in her mouth.

"Oh, that's good." She practically moans out, which causes mom to roll her eyes once more. I just chuckle.

"Yea, he should be off in about 20 minutes. By the time I get home, he should be on his way." I answer her as I sit down on the couch and grab my heels. I put them on and then stand back up, ready to say my goodbyes.

"I'm really glad you're home ma, and I know mom is too. You two be good to each other, you hear?" I scold them, pointing from one woman to the other. Ma holds her hands up in surrender, and mom nods her head yes at me, a smile on her face.

"Good." I say, leaning down to give them each another kiss and a hug, before standing back up. I find my purse and keys, and call out my goodbyes as I head for the door.

"Goodnight honey, love you!" Mom calls out.

"Night bug!" Ma yells after her, putting a smile on my face.

"Night!" I call out right before I shut the front door.

* * *

 **Okay, one more down, yay! And Jane's home, yay again! Hopefully it won't take me as long to get the next chapter up, but sadly you never know. I'll try my best though, I promise. Well... until next time!  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm sorry that its taken awhile to get this chapter up, I had a lot of things distract me. But I'm back now with a fresh new chapter for your viewing pleasure ;) I hope it was worth the wait...** _ **(fingers crossed)**_

 **As always, enjoy!**

* * *

Life is very unpredictable. Anything can happen or change in the blink of an eye. We may have a solid plan in place for our future, but in an instant something or someone can step in and mess everything up. It may be for better, or it may be for worse, and sadly we don't ever find out until we're in it.

* * *

 **Apartment Complex - Paris Street, Boston MA...**

"Bullshit dude! I so had that!" Bryce yells out as he frantically pushes the buttons on his controller, his tongue sticking out in concentration. His face is red and he looks on the verge of chucking my controller in anger.

"Whatever dude. If you had had it, you would have scored. But I'm amazing at this game so of course I didn't let you." I say cockily, knowing my words will spur him on more.

"Fuck you Simon." He says, sounding half serious, half not. All I do is laugh at him in response.

"You're just jealous because I kick ass at this game, and you suck ass." I continue to tease. And if it couldn't get any better, I manage to get my guy in the game to score a goal right after the words leave my mouth.

"Boom bitch!" I yell out in triumph, and look over to him with a confident smile.

"Shut up dude. You cheat, you played soccer growing up, I didn't." Bryce says, tossing the controller down on the couch next to him. My score was the final game winning point, so our game is basically over now. I set mine down as well, all while laughing at my friend.

"Just because I played soccer as a kid, does not mean that I am automatically a great FIFA player. I just have mad skills dude."

"Didn't you quit playing when you were like a teenager?" I just nod my head in response.

"Why was that, I never really understand that." He says, looking at me expectantly.

"Some shit happened with this kid when I was 14, I told you this." I say to him, already not liking where this conversation is heading. Bryce should know why I don't play soccer anymore. We've been friends since Jr. High.

"No dude, I don't think you did. Trust me I would have remembered. I was so confused when you stopped, cuz you were so good. You probably could have gotten a scholarship or something if you'd joined the high school team.

"You really don't remember me telling you?" I ask him incredulously. He shakes his head no in response. I sigh out, not really wanting to explain what happened, but feeling as if I owe him. He is my good friend after all.

"When I was 14, I joined a game that was going on at the park down from my house. It was just a bunch of the neighbor kids, and I thought I could go and blow them all out of the water. There was this one kid in particular there, Sunny Jameson, who didn't live around us. His family was poor, but he liked to come around and play soccer, and no one really cared so we let him. Well, he ended up being on the same team as me, and I felt bad for the kid, cuz he wasn't that good, and decided to help him score a goal or two. There was a few failed attempts at passing him the ball, but towards the end of the game a decent opportunity actually presented itself. Sunny was wide open, people didn't really care about blocking him, so I decided to go for it. Now, he was a good distance away from me, but I knew I could kick it to him. The problem was he was an idiot and couldn't play soccer to save his life. I kicked the ball as hard as I could, which sent it right to him, but instead of stopping the ball with his chest or foot and continuing on, he decided to let the damn thing smash him square in the face." Bryce makes a wincing face at this, no doubt picturing what happened to Sunny.

"Ouch bro, not cool." He says to me.

"It wasn't my fault! The kid was an idiot." I say in defense of myself.

"Anyways, as luck would have it, his mom showed up right at the end of the game to get her son, and witnessed what happened. She rushed over to him, and found him on the ground, holding his face as blood went everywhere. Somehow the ball had broken his nose, and when he fell he hit his head hard enough to give himself a small concussion. Instantly his mom went of the defense and accused me of maliciously hitting her son. She thought that I did it on purpose, and the little shit didn't even stick up for me." I say, anger filling me once more at the thought of what happened that day.

"Shit dude, that sucks, I didn't know that."

"But wait, why would that make you stop playing soccer?" He asks, and my mind begins to wander back to the events that took place later that night.

 *****Flashback*** - About 11 years ago...**

 _Walking into the house, I instantly look around to see if I can spot my ma. I feel as if I should tell her what happened at the park, but the only one I can see is mom. She looks up at me from the kitchen where she's making a pot of tea._

 _"Hey honey." She says to me as I approach, a smile on her face._

 _"Hey mom." I respond back._

 _"How was your game?"_

 _"Good! Hey where's ma?" I ask quickly, not wanting to go into any more detail. She looks at me confused for a moment, but decides to drop it._

 _"She's in her cave." Mom says._

 _"Thanks!" I call out to her as I rush off in the direction of my mothers "cave" room. Its just the room where she has all of her things that mom doesn't like to have in the rest of the house. When I get to the room, the door is open slightly and I can see ma inside on the couch, watching a game. I stand in the doorway for a minute, suddenly unsure if I want to go inside. Do I really need to say anything to her? Its not like I hit the kid on purpose. The others could probably vouch for me if asked. Making up my mind, I am about to turn around and head to my room when ma calls out to me._

 _"What ya doing out there kiddo?" She calls, not even glancing my way. I still don't know how she does that, knowing that I'm there without even seeing me._

 _"I can hear you breathing out there bud, just come in." She says, this time turning around to look at me. I give her a small smile and make my way inside. I plop down on the couch next to her, and decide to play it off like I just wanted to hang out, but was unsure if she wanted me to or not._

 _"What's going on bud?" She asks once I sit down._

 _"Oh, just wanted to come chill with my ma." I say, and she smiles at me before ruffling my hair._

 _"Well why didn't you say so? You had me worried for a second, I thought you might have done something that you needed to tell me." See? She's got mad crazy skills. I just laugh awkwardly at her words, hoping that she wont' notice. Luckily for me she doesn't, instead turning her attention back to the game._

 _"The Sox are up by three runs." She tells me, and I nod my head in understanding, turning my attention to the game as well. I settle in and begin to enjoy this time with my ma, forgetting about what happened earlier, and my initial reason for coming in here._

 _A couple of days later I am sitting at the kitchen island, eating from my bowl of cereal, when there's a knock at our front door. Mom sets her magazine down that she was reading, and makes her way to answer it. I watch as she goes, and look on in confusion as I see a man standing at our door. Mom and this guy exchange a few words, and then the dude hands mom a blue paper before turning and heading back down our sidewalk. I watch as mom slowly shuts the door and turns around, a look of shock and confusion on her face. Immediately I know this is bad, very bad, and I'm not going to like how it turns out._

 _"Jane!" Mom calls out to ma, not taking her eyes off of the blue paper._

 _"Coming!" Ma calls back, sounding like she's down the hall, and soon she's made her way over to mom, the blue paper catching her attention as well._

 _"What's this?" Ma asks, her face that of confusion as well._

 _"We've just been served Jane." Mom says, and if my face could go any paler it would, but it can't. I know what that means, and because of my smart brain and what happened at the park a few days ago, I know my parents are being sued because of me._

 _"What?! What does it say?" Ma asks, her voice taking on a much higher pitch than usual. Mom casts a glance up at me, giving me a skeptical look, before she turns back to the paper._

 _"It says here that our son, intentionally inflicted physical damage upon a Sunny Jameson, and his parents are suing us for medical bills, as well as emotional damages."_

 _"What?!" Ma asks again, or more like yells out dramatically._

 _"Who are these people?"_

 _"I think you should ask your youngest son that." Mom says, her attention once again turning to me. Ma looks up at me expectantly, and after a few seconds of silence, her face turns to that of recognition._

 _"Is this what the other night was about Simon? I thought I could tell you wanted to tell me something." Ma says, and I know I'm busted._

 _"What did you do Simon?" Mom asks, and I can't help the look of shame that befalls my face. I lower my head for a moment, trying to gather how I want to say this, before raising my head to look at my mothers._

 _"I was playing soccer at the park with the local kids, and there was this one kid there, Sunny. He's not very good but he loves to play, and he ended up on my team, so I decided to try and help him out. But every pass I gave him he messed up on, and I was starting to get annoyed. When the game was almost over I saw that he was open so I kicked the ball hard to get it to him. He was far away, but he was too crappy to handle the ball and it ended up hitting him in the face. I guess his mom saw it happen and she thought I did it on purpose. But I swear I didn't!" I rush out all at once, leaving my mothers to try and figure out what all I said._

 _"Wait, what?" Ma asked, looking rather confused._

 _"He's saying that he accidentally hit a fellow teammate in the face with the ball, most likely causing injury. The child's mother saw the incident happen, and thinks that Simon did in on purpose. And now, she is suing us." Mom tells Ma matter-of-factually._

 _"Is that what you wanted to tell me that night?" Ma asks me, and I nod my head slightly in the affirmative._

 _"What made you change your mind? Because, as I see it, since you hesitated and didn't tell me, that's a clear sign of guilt."_

 _"No ma, I swear, I didn't do it on purpose! I really just wanted him to get the ball and be able to make a score. He was practically half way across the field, and I had to kick in really hard to be able to get it to him. It's not my fault that he doesn't know how to handle the ball." I say, realizing that last part sounded kind of mean._

 _"That may be Simon, but you should have told your mother that night. Maybe we could have spoken with this kids parents and explained everything to them. But now I have to get my lawyer involved, and deal with this in court." Mom says, and she actually looks disappointed. I hang my head in shame, feeling terrible for what's happened. Several seconds pass by before I feel my ma's strong arms wrap around my shoulder. I look up at her, and notice that mom has left the room, and that it's just me and ma._

 _"I really didn't mean to hurt him, and I didn't tell you because I didn't think that it was a big deal." I mumble to her._

 _"I know buddy, you don't have a mean bone in your body. And don't worry, mom will fix this, she always does." Ma said with a wink._

 *****End Flashback*****

"Except she didn't fix it, my mother's ended up being sued for a lot of money. They never told me how much, but I could tell it wasn't good. Apparently the majority of the kids at the park told that kids parents that I was notoriously mean to them, and that they saw me intentionally hit Sunny in the face that day. They were all a bunch of bullshitters, just jealous because I was so much better at soccer than them. Oh, and not to mention they were all children of snobs, it was in their DNA to be horrible." I say, wrapping up my story.

"Either way, they won, got a ton of money off my parents, and I never heard about them again. I didn't get in trouble, because my parents believed me that I didn't do it on purpose, but I could tell that they were disappointed with what happened. My mom took it the hardest, go figure. She must have liked to play the martyr or something, I don't know. Anyway, I quit playing soccer, and tried to stay out of trouble for the foreseeable future." I finish, looking at Bryce expectantly, waiting for his reaction.

"Damn dude, that's intense. I had no idea all of that happened. Although, I can see it all making sense. Some poor kid gets hurt by some rich kid, poor mom sees and decided to take advantage of the situation to make some cash off of your family's wealth. I've seen it done hundreds of times before." He says, and I just look at him with annoyance.

"Thanks bro." I say sarcastically.

"What? My parents go sued once because my little sister tried to claw this chicks eyes out. They didn't succeed in winning money from us though, cuz my dad had a kick-ass lawyer." He tells me, and I just raise my eyebrow at him.

"Sorry, that sucks dude." He says after a minute, finally picking up on the fact that he is annoying me.

"Yeah well, it's in the past, and I don't really like to think about it anymore." I tell him, wanting to be done with this conversation. I haven't spent a whole lot of time with Bryce in the last little while, and I'm starting to remember why. He can really get on my nerves.

After a few minutes of silence, Bryce starts talking to me. "Can I ask you a question bro?" He says, and he looks a bit nervous. I'm instantly skeptical of him, but I am also curious as to what he wants to know.

"Okay." I say, waiting for him to continue.

"Going along with the soccer thing, and me not knowing certain things. Why do you hate your mom so much? You made a snarky comment about her in your story, and I'm just curious why. She seems like an amazing woman." He finishes, and I don't know whether to kick him out of my house, or punch his face in. Now I remember why I don't hang out with this jack-ass, because he's in love with my mother. And right before I open my mouth to let him have it, Mia comes walking out of our bedroom, and she answers for me.

"Because his mom's a total bitch and won't let him be himself. She was always trying to control him and turn him into someone he wasn't. Oh and she hates me, so..." she says, not bothering to look in our direction as she heads for the kitchen. I look back and Bryce and shrug my shoulders.

"What she said." I say, gesturing to Mia with my thumb.

"Damn dude, that's harsh. I know we haven't been super tight these past few years, but I think I may have found out why. I know it's not my place, but I'm going to say it anyway." He says, standing up from his position sitting on my couch.

"You're an asshole Simon. Your mother took you in and loved you unconditionally, and up until graduation I thought you understood that. Being an outsider, I don't know exactly what went on, but from what I saw, your mother deserved none of this. You should be ashamed of yourself. And as for her..." He says, pointing in the direction of the kitchen.

" _She's_ the bitch." He finishes, and he doesn't even give me a chance to kick him out before he heads to my door and slams it behind him as he leaves. I watch after him as he goes, shocked really at what he said. I continue to sit there speechless until Mia walks back into the room and sits down on the couch next to me.

"What was that all about?" She asks, but by the tone of her voice she has no idea what he said, she just heard him slam the door.

"Nothing, he just needed to go." I say, and I can tell that she doesn't believe me, but for once she doesn't push me on it.

"Okay, well I'm going to go hop in the shower. Wanna join me?" I ask with a seductive tone to my voice, also giving her a playful wink.

"No, I have some work I need to do." She immediately shuts me down, not even batting an eyelash. I watch as she gets up off of the couch and heads towards the kitchen. I sigh after her, sad that I've missed out on an opportunity for sex, but then push it aside so I can get up and head into our bedroom. I try not to let it bother me as I get into the shower, but the fact that I haven't had sex in like a week is really getting to me. Mia has been so quick to shoot me down each time I try, which she never used to do. When we first got together, we fucked like rabbits and it was great! But since it's slowly tapered down and now it's like she doesn't want it at all. It really sucks.

I have to resist the urge to get myself off in the shower, thinking about the last baseball game I watched to distract me. The good thing is, I take really quick showers, and after like 7 minutes I'm out and toweling off. I dry my hair and body, then wrap the towel around my waste and head out into our room. I hear Mia on the phone in the living room so I decide to walk out and see who's she's talking to. I'm surprised to see my phone in her hand, and the look she gives me when she glances over at me actually sends chills down my spine. And not the good kind. After a moment of silence she hangs up the phone and sets it down on the counter.

"Who was that?" I ask, once again beginning to make my way over to her.

"That was an enrollment rep from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. They wanted to set up an appointment with you to go over the information you requested." She says with venom in her voice. As soon as the words leave her mouth, I freeze and attempt to swallow the large lump that has now formed in my throat. She wasn't supposed to find out about that. I was going to enroll and take the classes at night, making up some excuse like I was going to the gym or something. You see, Mia doesn't think having an art degree is a viable career choice. She wants me to continue working in construction with her brother, because it brings in good money. She doesn't give a shit about the fact that I'm miserable, and would like to have a job where I don't work myself to the bone. I'm really good at drawing and coming up with things, and from what I've looked into about the Graphic Design program, it looks like something I could really love. It sucks that I have to hide it from my girlfriend though.

"When exactly were you going to tell me that you requested information about that school?" She asks, folding her arms over her chest like I'm her child who's in some serious trouble. I immediately go on the defense once she does this.

"Don't look at me like that!" I snap at her.

"Like what?" She snaps back.

"Like I'm some damn child who is getting punished."

"You are a child Simon! You're sneaking around behind my back, hiding things from me. You want to know who does that? Kids Simon, that's who. And if you're going to behave like a child, I'm damn well going to treat you like one!" Mia yells at me, her arms breaking their fold to gesture wildly into the air.

"Oh fuck you Mia, you're just mad because I want to actually do something for myself for a change, and it doesn't go along with what you want!" The minute the word 'fuck' comes out of my mouth, she loses it, rushing towards me like a poised cat ready to attack her prey. I don't even have any real time to react before her hand makes contact with my face, a loud smack sound filling the silence.

"How dare you talk to me like that!" She practically wails in my face. My hand goes up to cup my injured face, and I look down at her in astonishment.

"Out! Get out!" She suddenly screams at me, and hits me in the chest with both hands, effectively shoving me backwards towards the door. I obviously can't have this, seeing as I'm in nothing but a towel, so I grab her hands the next hit she attempts and hold them so she can't hit me.

"What the fuck is wrong with you" I say, not even raising my voice, just generally perplexed by what is going on.

"Let go of me!" She yells, yanking her hands away from my grasp.

"Then quick fucking hitting me!" I yell back, deciding if she's going to yell then so am I.

"I want you out of this house, now!"

"Jesus, okay. Just let me change first." I say, suddenly very willing to get the hell away from this crazy bitch. I make quick work of changing into some clothes, grabbing my phone, wallet and keys, and soon I'm walking out the front door, not even bothering to acknowledge her whatsoever. Its only as I'm in my car and pulling away from the road that I realize I don't really have anywhere to go. I just had a fight with Bryce so I can't go over to his house. My other friend James is out of town for his business, and I don't really have anyone else. Its too early to go to any sort of bar, and I don't have work today. Ugh, this sucks. Why the hell did Mia have to go all psycho on me and throw me out? We were totally fine one minute, and then bam! I guess it's just a chick thing.

* * *

Not really having any sort of plan, I just start driving, listening to music and thinking in my head. I need to call the school back, but I'd like to do it after some time has passed and Mia doesn't grill me about it. Although, the cat is out of the bag now, I might as well be honest about it. That could potentially blow up in my face though, as she absolutely hates the idea. I don't really understand why either. I support her in everything she does, why can't she pay me the same respect? Getting an education is usually looked at as a good thing, but apparently not to her. She's content with having me work my ass off in a horrible job, just because it pays good money. The reason it pays good money is because no one wants to do it, and you have to pay a lot in order to get people to.

Suddenly my phone starts ringing, disrupting the music flowing through my speakers, and when I look down at it, I see my ma's face smiling up at me. I quickly pick it up, and answer, excited about getting a call from her. Even though I left the hospital on not so good terms, I still love my ma, and am happy to speak with her whenever.

"Sup ma." I answer, easing the car to a stop off to the side of the road. Ma would be pissed if she knew I was talking and driving.

"Hey Sim, how are you bud?" She asks me, and she sounds like she generally wants to know how I am.

"Eh, I've been better." I say, shrugging my shoulders even though she can't see me.

"Everything okay?" She asks, totally picking up on the fact that it's not. I sigh out before answering her, knowing this will make me feel better, but it's also gonna earn me a lecture.

"Not really. Mia and I got in a fight just a bit ago and she kicked me out of the house." I tell her, and I hear her sigh on the other end.

"Are you okay?" She asks, her voice sounding concerned and sympathetic.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little pissed off."

"What did you two fight about, if you don't mind me asking." I smile at this, my ma ever being the polite one. She asks if its okay to pry into my personal life, unlike the rest of my family.

I hesitate for a minute, unsure if I want to tell her everything, but finally decide that I can trust her, and it would make me feel better if she knew.

"I've been talking to an enrollment rep from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, cuz I've been thinking about earning a degree." I say, pausing to see if she has anything to say.

"And?" She asks, knowing that I'm not done yet.

"And I've been keeping it a secret from Mia. She's not exactly the most supportive, and I knew if I told her, she'd tell me I couldn't. It would have been fine if she hadn't answered my phone while I was in the shower today. It was the rep, and he had her give me a message, which allowed her to find out. We got into it, and some things were said, and next thing I know I'm in my car driving away from our place." I say, sighing in relief once it's all out.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but I told you she was bad news bud. You deserve a woman who will stand by you and support the decisions you make. Not a woman who throws you down at every opportunity she gets. Thats not love Sim, that abuse." Ma says, sounding a bit hesitant towards the end. No doubt she's waiting for me to get mad at her, but I'm not going to. I know she's right, and at this moment I'm still pissed at Mia so I decide to agree with her.

"I know. It really gets to me that she doesn't support me as much as I do her. I know it's not fair, but I love her. Doesn't that count for something?" I ask, suddenly sounding rather vulnerable.

"Where are you right now?" She asks, shocking me as I was not expecting that sort of response.

"Uh, parked off to the side of the street about four blocks from home, why?"

"Would you like to come over? I'm going crazy here at home by myself, and I could really use the company. It sounds like you could too." I hesitate for a minute, not really sure if I want to head over to my childhood home.

"Its just me here bud, and it will be for awhile." Ma says after a minute of silence, reading my mind.

"Okay, I'll head over. It'll take me a bit, as you live so damn far away." I say, a bit of humor in my tone.

"See you in a bit then." Ma responds before hanging up. I smile as I set my phone back down, and then put the car back in park and head towards the interstate.

* * *

I only have to knock once before the door flies open to my mother standing in the doorway, a giant smile on her face. Rather unexpectedly, and quite frankly uncharacteristically, she lunges towards me and pulls me into a giant bear hug. I am caught off guard, and for a moment just stand there limp in her arms, before my brain catches up and I hug her back. After a few seconds she pulls away, smiling at me in a way I haven't seen in awhile.

"You okay ma?" I ask, kind of concerned with this change in behavior.

"I'm great! I got my casts off, I can walk around without hardly any pain because the physical therapy is going great. And now I have my son here with me!" She's practically jumping with joy at this point, and I'm finding it rather hard not to chuckle at her.

"You're bored aren't you?" I ask, and she sighs heavily before her shoulders drop a bit.

"God yes! Your mom is out with Emily and the kids, the house is clean, and I have no grand kids to keep me occupied. I am bored out of my mind, seeing as I don't work anymore."

"And for good reason. You're almost 70 ma." I tease her.

"Watch it mister." She warns, glaring at me. I finally let out my chuckle and head past her into the house.

"Well it would appear hanging out will be good for both of us." I say over my shoulder as I head towards the kitchen, intent upon grabbing myself a beer. Sadly however, when I open up the fridge I find none.

"Mom hasn't allowed me to have any more beer. I got in trouble." I hear ma say behind me. I stand and turn to face her, an incredulous look on my face.

"You're a grown woman, if you want beer you have a beer." I say, honestly confused as to why she doesn't just go get some herself.

"I haven't been cleared to drive yet, so I can't go and get my own, and your mom won't get it for me so... here we are." I scoff at this and roll my eyes but decide to drop it. We're having a good time so far, and I don't want to disrupt that with talk of my ridiculous mother.

"You want me to go get you some?" I ask, totally willing to help my ma out. As soon as I ask though, she starts shaking her head no.

"No I'm good. Your mom would be mad if she came home and there was beer in the fridge." She tells me, acting like its no big deal. I refrain from responding for a minute, not really sure what to say. I'm silent a little too long, as ma decides to change the subject.

"So, you're really thinking about getting into school?" She asks, sounding somewhat hesitant as well as hopeful. She wants me to get a decent education, but also knows the whole school thing is a touchy subject for me. It's the main reason why I estranged myself from the family. Everyone except her kept pushing me to the point where I was too annoyed and fed up, obviously not wanting to get into school. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life or who I wanted to be, and they couldn't understand that. How was I supposed to make a big decision like that when I didn't know what I wanted? I just wanted to travel and have a chance to figure that out. And I didn't think that that was too much to ask for really. But apparently, if you have a doctor for a mother, a lawyer for a brother, and a sister who was in school to _become_ a doctor, then that meant a higher education was expected of you. It's bullshit, and it finally pushed me into having enough and leaving. Now, granted, stealing money from my mom and running off with my girlfriend wasn't the best choice, but I was young, stupid and angry. Who could blame me?

"Simon?" Ma asks, concern evident in her tone. The suddenness of her voice breaks me from my reverie, and I look at her, momentarily confused.

"I'm sorry, what?" I ask, not remembering what her question was.

"I asked if you were really thinking about getting into school. Are you okay bud?"

"Oh yeah, sorry, I'm fine. Just got lost in my head for a minute." I tell her, trying to be reassuring.

"Yeah, I'm thinking about school. It was actually something that Lucas said that inspired me." I say, and her face lights up in a smile at this. Seeing her joy, I can't help but smile in return, happy that she's happy.

"Oh yeah?" She asks, fishing for me to tell her exactly what he said to me. She looks much younger right now, her happiness doing good for you, which ultimately makes me happy. I love my mother deeply, and I always want to see her happy.

"Yeah. He came over to my house a while back and saw a few sketches I'd done for my friend James. He needed a logo for his company that he was starting and he asked me, so I came up with some ideas. Luke said they were really good, and that I should look into graphic design. You could say it planted a seed, and after a bit I decided to look into it. Turns out, the program sounds really cool, and I've been talking with a enrollment guy about getting in." I tell her, and if at all possible, her face lights up more.

"That's great bud, I'm happy for you. That's all your mom and I have ever wanted, for you to be happy." She tells me, which causes me to roll my eyes. She may only want my happiness, but my mother just wants another child she can show off to people and have make her look good.

"I know that look, and I can promise you that she does want your happiness. You know this Simon." Ma tells me, totally being able to read my face.

"I really don't want to get into this right now, so can we not?" I ask, starting to get annoyed that my mother keeps coming up in conversation.

"I know you don't Simon, but she is my wife, and your mother, and I need you to show her some respect. All she has ever done is love you." Ma continues, not even caring that this is bugging me.

"Really? All she's ever done is care? Because what I see if a woman who has done nothing but shove her ideals down my throat, wanting to turn me into the good little child she wants so she can show me off. She did the same with Luke and Bella, but they happily went along with it." I say, my voice raising with the anger that is building.

"Have you ever stopped to think that she knows what's truly best for you? That the experiences she went through in life gave her a better understanding of what would be best for you?" Ma says, sounding angry, which doesn't normally happen. I am momentarily taken back, so I don't have a chance to respond before she's talking, or more like yelling, again.

"I love you Simon, so much, but you really piss me off sometimes. That woman took you in, loved you, and raised you to the best of her abilities, and this is honestly how you repay her?" Okay, now I'm really shocked, this has never happened with ma before. She usually just keeps her thoughts to herself. I honestly don't know what to say right now, it's like my brain has frozen and all I can do is stare at her while she yells at me.

"God Simon, I-" She starts before I suddenly cut her off.

"No! You don't get to sit here and yell at me about this!" I yell back, momentarily catching her off guard.

"I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry!" I cry out, unable to control my emotions all of the sudden. Before I know it, ma has her arms around me, holding me to her while I start shaking.

"It's okay Sim, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry buddy." Ma says into my ear, and it causes me to pull back and attempt to control myself. I wipe the few tears away from my face, slightly embarrassed that they are there at all, not making eye contact with my mother. This causes an awkward silence to fall between us, as either of us have no idea of what to say.

"I know I'm horrible okay? I know she loves me and raised me to the best of her abilities. I don't know why I feel the way I do about her." I find myself saying, my tone soft and quiet. I have absolutely no idea where all of this is coming from. I normally keep my emotions buried way deep down inside, not wanting people to see me as weak. Although, I guess if it has to be someone who sees me weak, I would prefer in be my ma. I know she won't judge me, as her and I are similar in the way we deal with emotions. She understands the need to not appear weak, as it was the same for her all throughout her career. Being the youngest female cop to make detective was rather impressive, but she also got a lot of slack from her male co-workers. So yeah, if anyone understands, its her.

"You're not horrible Simon, please don't say that. You just lost your way, but we can fix that. I can help you." She tells me, and I look up at her skeptically. My feelings of resentment and anger are so deep rooted now, I don't know if I can be helped.

"I don't think that's possible ma. I think I'm beyond help." I mumble out to her.

"Don't you say that Simon Rizzoli-Isles! You are not beyond help!" She snaps at me, momentarily catching me off guard.

"You are our son, and we love you no matter what. Please Simon, let me help you." Ma says, her voice turning more vulnerable than I've heard it in a long time. I look up at her, and I can see the love and concern etched there. I look back down at the floor and nod my head yes.

"Yeah, okay." I mumble out, and then feel my mothers strong arms slowly wrap around me.

"It's going to be okay buddy, I promise."

"How do you know that? What if I can't let go of my grievances? What if mom can't forgive me for all that I've put her through?" I ask, suddenly very worried that these things are true.

"Shh, lets not worry about that right now. How about we just sit down and watch the game while we wait for you mom to get home?" Ma asks me, which suddenly makes me panic. I am so not ready to face this right now. And I show as much as I step away from ma and shake my head no.

"No, not today. I'm not ready." I tell her, my tone much louder than before. She holds her hand out to me as she speaks.

"Okay, okay, we don't have to do it today. But you two do need to talk at some point." She tells me, and I nod my head in agreement.

"I uh, I think I should go." I say after a moment of silence, and Ma nods her head at me, even though she does look disappointed.

"Okay, but please, if you need anything, or you decide you're ready to talk, please call me." She says, her tone genuine and supporting. I nod my head at her, and lean in for a hug. She wraps her arms strongly around me and we hug for a few moments.

"I love you Simon." She whispers in my ear right before I pull away.

"Love you too ma." I respond, and then start heading for the door. She follows me, and watches from the doorway as I walk down the drive and get into my car. She continues to watch me until I'm out of sight, and once I am I breath a sigh of relief. I have no idea what just happened or how I feel about it, but I can't really think right now. My mind is running on overdrive and I need a distraction.

* * *

I don't really know why, but I choose the coffee shop down the street as my next destination, walking in and heading for the counter. Some caffeine will do me good, and at this I smile as I wait in line. As normally happens when you're waiting in line, my mind and eyes begin to wander, and soon my gaze falls upon a woman sitting by herself in the back corner of the small little shop. She has medium length blonde hair, a smattering of freckles on her cheeks, and the most beautiful face I have ever seen. I can't help but stare, until she feels my eyes on her and looks up. As soon as we make eye contact, I look away in embarrassment. I swear I can hear her chuckle, but I choose to ignore it and move forward as the line shortens.

Soon it is my turn to order, and I place it quickly then stand off to the side and wait. A few moments later my name is called and I quickly grab my coffee, choosing to sit down at a table and enjoy my beverage. I pull out my phone and begin to scroll through the weekly sports spreads, not really paying attention to my surroundings. This causes me to not notice the presence at my table until they clear their throat. I look up startled, and find that same gorgeous woman from earlier staring back at me with a smile on her face.

"You come to coffee shops by yourself often?" She asks casually, and then takes a sip of her drink. I'm momentarily taken aback by this woman's courage, so it takes me a bit to reply. She takes my silence as disinterest and begins to stand up to leave.

"Sorry to have bothered you." She mumbles out, which snaps me from my ridiculous stupor. I reach out and grab her arm, stopping her from leaving.

"No, please stay!" I practically yell at her, then give her a sheepish smile as she sits back down.

"Sorry, I'm not normally this retarded." I say, and she giggles at me, which I find to be incredibly beautiful.

"It's okay, I have that affect on people." She says with a wink, and I can feel my face blush. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm a suave confident man, I'm usually the one making the ladies swoon, not the other way around. This girl must be special.

"To answer your question, no I don't normally come to coffee shops alone." I say after a minute of silence, finally finding some of my swag back.

"Is that because you aren't much of a coffee drinker? Or do you come with someone else?" She asks next, and I can tell that she's fishing for info, wanting to know if I'm single. I know I should tell her about Mia, even though it doesn't necessarily pertain because we don't come to coffee shops together, but I just can't seem to find the words.

"Oh, I love coffee, but I usually just make a cup at home. I decided to be adventurous today though." I respond, and then take a swig of my drink as I dazzle her with my crinkle eyed smile. I've always had good luck with this smile. The ladies can't seem to get enough of my eyes when I smile from them. And as planned, a soft blush starts to cover her cheeks and she gives me a shy smile in return.

"Well that's a shame, because I come here a lot, and if you did too I'd be able to see more of that dazzling smile." She responds, shocking me with how bold and flirtatious she's being. I don't know who this girl is, but I've now decided that I want to know more.

"I just might have to start coming in more than, as I wouldn't want to disappoint." I flirt right back, rather enjoying this back and forth.

"Madison, but my friends call me Maddi." She says after a brief pause, holding her hand out to me. I smile and reach out to grasp it, unable to fully ignore the spark I feel once I do.

"Simon. Nice to meet you Madison, but your friends call you Maddi." I say, winking at her.

We spend the next hour or so just talking and sipping slowly on your coffees, until Maddi informs me that she has to get going. We exchange numbers and I watch with a stupid smile on my face as she walks out, unable to keep my eyes from staring at her amazing ass. She's long gone but I continue to stare at the door until the buzzing of my phone breaks me from my thoughts. I look down at the offending object on the table, and frown when I see Mia's face smiling up at me. Crap, Mia. I totally forgot about her. Not immediately remembering our fight, I move to quickly answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you? I expected you home hours ago." Her shrill voice filters through the speaker in my phone. I roll my eyes at her tone, and attempt to withhold any malice in mine as I answer her.

"I was spending some time with my ma, and now I'm grabbing a cup of coffee."

"Well grab me one and get your ass home, we need to talk." She commands, and then hangs up the phone. Angry at how she just demands things and the way she spoke to me, I toss my phone down on the table and lean back in my seat. I was having such a good morning until she had to call. Mia always finds a way to ruin anything that seems to make my happy. It's been that way for the last four or so years now. When we first got together, it was great. We spent every waking minute together, we enjoyed the same things, and she genuinely seemed happy with me. But after the first year, things slowly started to decline, until now she just thinks she owns me and can treat my however she wants. I've been wanting to break up with her for awhile now, but I feel like I owe it to her to at least try and make things work. I guess I better head home and have that "talk".

With a heavy sigh I get up from my chair and toss my empty cup in the trash before heading back to the counter. I have to get her a coffee and grab another one for myself so she doesn't get suspicious.

* * *

"Mia?" I call out once I walk into our apartment. The lights are off in the living room and kitchen area, and she's nowhere in sight. I set my keys and phone down on the kitchen counter, and head in search of my girlfriend. I walk into our bedroom and notice the light to the bathroom filtering out from underneath the closed door, indicating that she's in there. I can faintly hear the shower running, so I walk over to the dresser and set our cups down, and then proceed to take all of my clothes off. With a smile on my face I go to open the bathroom door, but find it locked. Mia never locks the door when she used the bathroom, which means she must really be pissed at me to wants to keep me out.

I make quick work of slipping into some basketball shorts and head out into the living room, flipping the tv on so I can watch it and relax. It takes another fifteen minutes for Mia to come out of our room, and when she does she heads over to grab her cup, and then joins me on the couch. We sit in silence for several minutes, me not wanting to initiate a conversation where I'm just going to be the bad guy, as always. It's been long enough that I'm not quite sure she's even going to say anything, and I start to feel a little bit better. However, when I turn my attention to her, wanting to ask about her day, I find myself looking into her eyes as she bores holes in my head with her intense glare. It's her extremely pissed off glare, the one that means you better run for your life if you want to make it out safely.

"Who is Madison Avery?" She asks, her voice a harsh whisper. My heart instantly starts beating at like a thousand miles per minute, and I instantly start to panic.

"What?" I ask, sounding like a complete and utter idiot.

"You heard me Simon. Who is Madison Avery?" She asks again, her tone still soft and harsh. I know she knows, at least something, and I don't stand a chance if I lie to her.

"A woman I met at the coffee shop earlier." I tell her, and then swallow the large lump that has formed in my throat. There's only ever been two woman in my life that I was afraid of. The first being my mother when she was really angry. And the second one is Mia. She may be small, but she packs a big punch, and she knows how to manipulate your mind into thinking you're shit.

"Why do you have her number?" She asks next, holding up the napkin that Maddi scrolled her number on for me. I look down at the offending item, then back up to my girlfriends face. I refrain from answering right away, as I have no good explanation for this. At least not one she's going to want to hear.

"Are you an idiot Simon? Have you suddenly developed the brain capacity of a chicken? Are you really that dumb that you can't answer a simple question?" She asks after I don't respond, her tone gaining in volume and the intensity in her eyes becoming more frightening.

"No." I answer, my voice squeaking slightly like I'm going through puberty again.

"Really, because I don't think that's the case. I think you're a god damn idiot who only thinks with his penis!" She yells at me as she throws the napkin at my face, causing me to move back slightly in shock.

"What?!" I squeak out, rather offended by her comment. I have been nothing but faithful to her since we got together.

"That's bullshit and you know it!" I yell back, finding some courage. Apparently that was a bad idea though, because the intensity in her eyes seems to only grow deeper with rage.

"Like hell it is! Did you fuck her Simon?!" She screeches at me, the veins in her neck popping out with the force of her tone.

"No!" I yell right back, sick of her being the only one to do so.

"All we did was have coffee together. She came and sat with me and we talked, end of story!" I continue on.

"Oh, so you spent all morning getting to know a woman over coffee, and then take her number? Did it even occur to you that you have a girlfriend?" She asks, very condescendingly.

"Had." I respond.

"Excuse me?"

"Had, I _had_ a girlfriend." I elaborate, and then stay quiet while she contemplates my words.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She asks after a bit of silence, folding her arms over her chest.

"All you seem to do lately is treat me like shit Mia, and I don't deserve that. How am I supposed to be with someone who is constantly knocking me down?"

"Oh, so you decide you don't want to be with me anymore, and immediately jump into some bitches bed?"

"I didn't sleep with her!" I yell out, rather annoyed that she won't really listen to a damn thing I'm saying. She stays quiet for a moment, clearly thinking about everything that's been said and done.

"Are you really breaking up with me?" She asks, her tone a complete 180 of what it was earlier. She obviously knows how to play with my emotions and get me to feel bad. And she's giving me the sad face that indicates she's likely to start crying any minute now, which is my number one weakness.

"I don't know." Is all I can think to say at the moment. Part of me really wants to just end this, but another part of me wants to work it out and see if we can't get better. I'm just not sure which part will win out.

"How can you not know? We've been together for over five years Simon, and I love you. Don't you love me too?" She asks, essentially trapping me in this argument.

"Of course I love you Mia, but that's not what we're discussing right now. Plus, sometimes love isn't enough.

"So you are breaking up with me." She says, and the dam in her eyes breaks, releasing all the tears it had stored up. I can't take it when she cries, and I know she knows this.

"No, please don't start crying, you know I can't handle that." I say, reaching out for her. Instead of allowing me to wrap her up in my arms however, she moves her body quickly away from me, then gets up and heads into our bedroom. She slams the door behind her and locks it, letting me know this conversation is officially over, at least for now. I sigh as I lean back against the couch, going over the conversation in my head. I feel screwed, like she took this all away from me by bringing out the tears. She didn't allow us to actually have a conversation and figure this all out. We really need to talk and evaluate our relationship, but I don't see that happening any time soon.

Suddenly my phone starts vibrating on the coffee table where it's resting, startling me out of my thoughts. I look down and see that I have a message from an unknown number. I can't help the smile that fall upon my face as I pick my phone up and read the words there.

 **Had a great time at coffee today. Hope 2 see that beautiful smile again soon ;) - M**

Madison. Thinking back on our time spent together earlier brings another smile to my face. When she gave me her number earlier I sent her a quick message so that she had mine, but I forgot to save her as a new contact. Pushing a few buttons I successfully do just this, before hitting reply.

 **Me 2 :) You will most definitely be seeing my smile again ;) - S**

I hit respond and set my phone back down, sighing as I lean back against the couch once more. I really have a big decision to make, and if Mia would grow up a little and actually come out and talk with me, I could possibly get some things worked out. Sadly I don't see that happening anytime soon, so instead I grab the TV remote and turn it on, scrolling to the sports channel to check out the stats. As my eyes stare at the screen, my mind decides that it wants to wander, choosing to remember back to when I first met Mia all those years ago. I was about a year out of high school, the world at my feet, so naturally I wasn't doing really anything with my life. A couple of my buddies and I were at the local skate park, just having some fun. I was big into skating back then, and I was actually pretty good at it too.

 *****Flashback*** - About 7 years ago...**

 _Just chillin' here at the park, working on some tricks, when I suddenly notice a group of girls come and sit down kinda near where we're set up. One chick in particular catches my eye and I instantly decide that I'm going to show off for her. I've been working up to doing a 9 stair the past few days, almost landing it several times, so like the idiot I am I decide to go for it. I figure if I land it, she'll be super impressed and instantly want to be my girlfriend. So, I wait until I know she's watching, then I go for it. Sadly, I totally bomb it, landing in the middle of my board and breaking it instantly. The forward momentum causes me to face plant once I land and I totally eat shit. My friends just laugh at me as I lay there in pain, and I can hear all of the girls laughing as well._

 _They leave shortly after, which causes me to be totally humiliated. There's no way that girl is coming back after she saw me fail so epically. I resign myself to this fact, and bid my friends goodbye. I go home, nursing my wounds while I shop online for a new board. I manage to have one shipped express, and am back at the skate park the next day. To my complete and utter surprise, the girl actually comes back, this time just her and some other girl, and she watches me skate around all day. I'm having a good day, landing all of my tricks, which makes me feel super confident. At the end of my session I finally gain up enough courage to go talk to her. As I sit down next to her, she turns to her friend and whispers to her. The friend gives her a small hug, then gets up and leaves._

 _"Hey." I say to her once her friend is gone. "I'm Simon." I say, holding my hand out for her to shake. She takes it with a smile, giving me a firm handshake._

 _"Mia, nice to meet you Simon." She says back in this beautiful voice. I give her a goofy smile in return._

 _"Likewise." I respond after that, suddenly feeling like a total idiot._

 _"So what brings you to the park?" I ask a moment later._

 _"You." She says, completely shocking me. At the look of sheer confusion on my face, she starts to explain._

 _"I watched you skate yesterday and couldn't keep my eyes off of you. I was with some of my dumber friends though, so I had to leave when they all wanted to go. I decided that I'd come back today though in the hopes that you'd be here. I'm glad I did too, because watching you skate around was hot." My eyes practically bug out of my head at her words, and my brain shuts down so I have absolutely no response. Mia suddenly blushes and looks embarrassed. My silence must make her feel like I don't feel the same. Man I'm a moron sometimes. I am barely able to find my voice as she starts to stand. I reach out and grab her hand as I begin to speak._

 _"No, don't! Sorry I'm not very good with stuff like this. When a pretty girl tells you she thinks you're hot, it kinda fries your brain." I say, earning myself a giggle from her. She sits back down, but doesn't let go of my hand._

 _"Well, I'm so terribly sorry that I fried your brain. I will refrain from doing that in the future." She says with a wink, and I think I might have died and gone to heaven. This gorgeous girl is expressing genuine interest in me, and is talking about seeing me more in the future. So, I'm either in heaven, or extremely lucky. I think I'll go with the latter._

 _"Good, thats good to hear." I bring out my charming smile as I respond, and settle in to get to know this girl better._

 _"So, Mia, what brought you to this skate park in the first place? Do you skate?" I ask first, looking at her expectantly. She chuckles at my question, answering it before she even starts speaking._

 _"Oh god no, I'm not coordinated at all. A few of my friends are into some of the guys who come here regularly, and they asked me to tag along yesterday. I didn't expect to also find a guy to be interested in here, but I did." She says with a wink again, which I find super sexy._

 _"Well I'd say you're one lucky girl then._

 _"I'd say so too." Mia responds softly before leaning in towards me. I am shocked into place, and it's not until her lips have been on mine for several seconds do I finally respond. My hand comes up to cup around her cheek, and my tongue runs eagerly along her bottom lip, seeking entrance. She grants it quickly, and I moan out in pleasure at the taste of her mouth. I can't describe it, but she tastes simply amazing. She pulls back quickly ending the kiss however, way too soon for my liking, but Mia is staring at me with a shy smile and I can't help but be okay with it._

 _"That was amazing, but I have to go. I'll see you around." She says, and immediately hops up from the bench we're sitting on, and starts heading towards a parked car that wasn't there before. I watch her go in shock and awe, unable to move a muscle. Its only after she's long gone that I let out a sign and slink back against the bench, a goofy smile plastered on my face._

 *****End Flashback*****

She came back several times after that, and we kinda just started a relationship. We did almost everything together, we were practically inseparable. That's part of what makes this all so hard for me. It's been me and Mia for the last 6 years, and I don't want to just walk away from that. But on the other hand, she hasn't been supporting me the way I deserve to be supported, and if being with her is going to hold me back from my full potential, then I need to step away. Ugh, this is so complicated! I really have my work cut out for me.

* * *

 **I know, I'm mean, but you'll have to stay tuned to find out what Simon decides ;)** _ **(Insert evil laugh here)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Wow, this is embarrassing. I can't believe that I went this long without updating. I've never claimed to be always on it when it comes to updates, but I'm usually much better than this. And I'm not a fan of excuses, cuz they're like butts; Everyone has one, and they all stink, but I'm gonna give you one anyways. I have had this chapter in the works for several months (since I posted the last one) but I have also gotten into a relationship, which is taking up damn near all of my free time. Now, I love my girlfriend very much, but I also love you guys, so I'm going to work on balance between her and you all ;) I promise.**

 **I hope that you enjoy this horribly late chapter. Even though it took a long time, I worked hard on it because I want to deliver great enjoyable work for you all to read.**

 **Please let me know what you all think, and as always ENJOY!**

* * *

Marriage, it's a tricky thing. You vow to spend your life with someone, through thick and thin, good times and bad. You claim to always love and cherish them, but its not always easy. You have good moments, and they're great while they're happening. But you also have bad moments, and they can seem really bad while you're in them. How you work it out and get through it is the true test of a strong marriage. Not everyone has what it takes, but that doesn't mean it happens to everyone.

* * *

 **Beacon Hill 8:58 pm - May**

"I don't understand why you're making such a big deal out of this." I call after my wife as she storms into our bedroom. I have to catch the door as she shuts it behind her. She walks straight towards our closet and starts rifling through my clothes.

"That's part of the problem Lucas, you never know what it is I'm talking about. You think everything is just fine all of the time and that any responsibility you have ends before you step foot inside this house!" Emily yells back at me, all while still rifling through my clothes. I don't really want to think about what it is she's doing, so instead I head towards her slowly and try to figure out why exactly she's mad.

"What is that even supposed to mean?" I ask her as I get closer. She momentarily stops what she's doing and glares at me, before shaking her head.

"Dammit Lucas, I don't want to have to spell it out for you." I don't respond, instead I just look at her expectantly. She groans out and then starts gesturing wildly with her hands as she begins to speak.

"I had a life Lucas, I had a job that I loved and a man at home who supported me. When we decided to have kids we talked about me putting my career on hold temporarily so that I could have your babies. That was over over 6 years ago! But I'm still at home, cooking and cleaning and watching our children. I've become a housewife, which is exactly what I _didn't_ want to happen!" She exclaims exasperatedly.

"I love you Lucas, and I love our children, more than my own life. But that's the thing, I don't have a life anymore. I'm always stuck in this house cleaning up after you and the kids. And you seem completely content to just let things continue on like they are. You hardly ever offer to cook, you don't clean and on the days you have off, you barely watch the children."

"I'm always working! I work my ass off so we have a roof over our heads and food on the table!" I yell, suddenly angry that she's calling me out the way she is.

"Why does it only have to be you who does that?!" Em yells right back, getting closer to me in the process. "I have a degree, I have working experience, I can help bring in money and food, I'm just as capable as you!" She exclaims, her arms flying around her wildly.

"You agreed to be a mother, you said you wanted children you could raise and be here for!" As long as she's yelling, I sure as hell am going to too.

"Oh so that's all I'm good for now? Just open my legs and let you impregnate me, then stay at home and watch your spawn while you go off and have a life?" She's using her mocking tone, which just serves to piss me off.

"That's bullshit and you know it. And how dare you call our children spawn!" I raise my voice higher, if at all possible, this argument serving to really piss me off.

"You know that's not what I meant. I feel used Lucas, I feel oppressed and my problem with it is that you don't even seem to notice. You grew up with two independent women who worked and shared the responsibility of raising their family. I would have thought that would have influenced you better.

"Oh here we go, bring up the gay moms why don't you!" Now it's my turn to gesture wildly with my hands. I spin around and slowly walk back towards the door, thinking about what I want to say next. Em doesn't give me the opportunity to speak however.

"I am not your maid Lucas, I am not your personal chef, and I am not your nanny. I am your _wife_ , your equal, and you damn well better start acting like it!"

"I do!" I practically screech out as I whip around to face her again.

"I respect you Emily! You are the mother of my children and the woman I love more than anything! I thought I'd been doing a damn fine job of showing you that. You told me you wanted to have kids and be here to take care of them. If I had known for one second that you were unhappy I would have helped in any way I could have to make you happy again. But I'm not a damn mind reader woman! You have to _tell_ me when something is wrong!" I exclaim loudly back at her.

"I shouldn't have to tell you! You should know me well enough to know when I'm not happy!"

"Ugh!" I growl out in frustration, turning around once more so I don't have to meet her gaze. My hand comes up and starts rubbing my forehead, as I feel a headache starting to develop.

"I think you should spend the night at Lloyd's house tonight." Em says after a moment of silence, her tone soft and defeated. I turn back around at her and meet her gaze, seeing pain in her beautiful blue eyes. Pain that I have caused, which only serves to worsen my mood. I don't want her to kick me out, but I also don't want to keep fighting with her.

"That's not fair, you can't kick me out of my own house."

"Well I don't want you here right now Lucas. If you don't want to go to Lloyd's house, then go somewhere else. We can talk tomorrow." She says, moving once again towards our closet, no doubt intent upon packing some clothes for me. For some reason seeing her do this suddenly makes me really mad, and before I can stop myself I yell out at her.

"No!" She jumps at my loud tone and whips back around to look at me. As soon as she does I rush towards her and grab her face, smashing my lips against hers. She struggles against me, trying to pull her face away from mine. After a few seconds of her not kissing me back I pull away, and I only have but a second to register her raising her hand before she smacks me right across the face. I cringe back in pain at the slap and instantly Emily rushes to the bathroom and slams the door shut. It takes me a moment to register what happened, and then I am making my way to the bathroom door. I try the handle but it's locked, so instead I decide to pound on the door and yell out to my wife.

"Unlock the door Em!"

"Go away Lucas, just go" Em says from the other side, her tone sounding broken and defeated.

"No! I'm not going anywhere. Let me in!"

"Go away!" She yells, and then the sound of her sobs breaks through to me, like the wind is suddenly taken straight from my lungs. I move back from the door a couple steps and silently listen to her crying. I feel guilty and stupid for letting our argument get this far. I stay put for several minutes, saying nothing, but eventually resign myself to my fate. I slowly go to our closet and gather some of my clothes, stuffing them into a small duffle bag, then head back out into our room. I contemplate saying something to Emily, but decide it's probably not the best idea, so after checking that I have everything that I need, I head out of our bedroom door and down the hall to my son's room.

I peak inside and see little Liam asleep in his crib and a bittersweet smile falls upon my face. He looks so peaceful, so unaware that his parents are fighting, and that his dad is getting kicked out of the house. As quietly as I can, I make my way over to his crib and lean over the edge. I reach my hand in and pat his back softly, taking comfort in the feel of him beneath my hand. I stay for a few moments, just staring at my son, before I quietly make my retreat. Next I head to Sophie's room, and peak in on her. Her room is illuminated by a soft red glow from the Red Sox night light on the wall, courtesy of my ma. My beautiful daughter is fast asleep on her bed, laying on her back with her limbs spread out wide. I chuckle softly to myself at the way she loves to sleep, then slowly make my way to her. Much like I did with Liam, I reach out and pat her back softly, but this time I lean down and give her a small kiss on her forehead.

"Goodnight princess, I love you." I whisper to her.

"Love you too daddy." She mumbles back in her sleepy haze, turning her head around and falling right back to sleep.

Reluctantly, I leave her room and head out towards the front room. Sadly, my wife hasn't made an appearance, so I know that things aren't changing tonight and I must leave the house. I really don't know where I'm going to go. My parents house is a little too far away, plus I don't want to bother them at this time of night. I really don't want to go to my friend Lloyd's house. Despite what Em thinks, we really aren't that good of friends. We play golf together on occasion, but I don't even really like the sport so I don't have fun when we go. I could call my brother, but then I'd have to deal with Mia and I really don't want to do that.

I sigh as I realize my only option is to head to the firm and sleep on the couch that I have in my office. And that means that I'll have to get up early enough so that nobody realizes I slept there.

With one last look at my living room, I sigh out again and close the door, locking it behind me, and head to my car. The drive to the firm is quiet, which gives me time to think. I reflect back on our fight, and how ridiculous it was. I understand where Emily is coming from, but I don't understand why it suddenly just had to blow up when I got home. One minute she seemed fine, and the next she was arguing with me and getting more frustrated by the minute. We usually don't let stuff like this get to us as much, and she's certainly never kicked me out of the house before. We've had this unspoken rule that we don't go to bed angry, and we've always managed to work in out before bed. This was actually inspired by my parents, as they had developed that in their relationship when I was growing up. I remember this one time they were fighting about money or something. They had been basically yelling at each other after dinner one night, I think I was like 14 or something. I remember trying to keep Bella and Simon occupied so they wouldn't pay attention to our moms. It went on until bedtime, where they stopped fighting long enough to get us all off to bed. I fell asleep that night worried about my parents relationship, which a 14 year old kid should never have to do.

 *****Flashback*** - About 16 years ago...**

 _Waking up, I stretch my body to get out all the sleep kinks. I lay in bed for a moment while my mind starts to wake up, and once it does I remember the events of last night, my parents fighting almost the worst that they ever have. I instantly start to worry that my ma might not even be here, and that mom is super upset about it. That's usually how it goes when my parents fight. Ma leaves the house and mom stays in her room crying. And it always makes me sad to see her sad._

 _I'm also worried about getting to my study group meeting on time. I am part of a group of kids who meet every Saturday to study and help each other with our current assignments. This week is my turn to be in charge and bring the snacks. Mom promised me that she'd take me, and last night before her and ma got into a fight, she helped me make cookies to bring. I've been looking forward to this day all week, and I really hope that this doesn't get forgotten about or put aside because of them fighting._

 _I know I should get up and go check on her, seeing as I'm the man of the house, the one who needs to make sure mom's okay when ma's not here. I sigh as I get up, not happy about the way this weekend is turning out, and make my way over to my dresser. I pull out a black t-shirt and slip it on before heading towards my parents room. I see that the door is cracked open slightly, and I can see my mom sleeping on her bed. I slowly open up the door and begin to creep towards the bed. As I get to the side of the bed, I see first, that my mom has a happy smile on her face, and two, that she has an arm wrapped around her waist. I instantly recognize the scar in the middle of the palm as my ma's, and a smile of my own falls onto my face. They must have made up last night before going to bed, which makes me super happy. I never like it when my parents fight, because I hate seeing either of my mothers sad._

 _I start to turn my body to head back out the door when I hear my name mumbled out sleepily._

 _"Lucas?" I hear my ma's gravely voice ask me, so I turn back around to face her. She's looking up at me over mom's body, her eyes squinting slightly in her barely awake state._

 _"Sorry, I just wanted to make sure that mom way okay. You know, cuz you guys were fighting last night." I tell her, and she instantly looks guilty._

 _"It makes me happy that you care about your mother like that bud, but she's okay._ We're _okay." Ma emphasizes the last part so I know they are okay. I nod my head at her in acknowledgement, and then give her a smile before heading back out the door and downstairs to get me a bowl of cereal._

 *****End Flashback*****

From that moment on, I noticed that my parents always made up before bed when they fought. Later on in life I asked my ma about it, and she said that they decided they never wanted to go to bed angry, that their love for each other was too strong, and that they shouldn't let any sort of fight eat at it. After hearing that, I decided that I wanted to implement that into my marriage, not really understanding just how hard that could be at times. Like right now for instance. Em wants me out, and I really don't want to argue anymore, but I also really don't want to leave. I know we need to talk and work this out, and I don't want to wait until tomorrow to do that.

My decision suddenly made, I flip my car around at the next available safe place, and head back home as quickly and legally as I can. Luck is actually on my side as I catch every green light, and make it home in record time. All of the lights are off when I pull into the driveway, but I know that Emily isn't asleep yet. I park my car in the garage and quickly head into the house, not bothering to grab my bag, as I'll just get it in the morning.

I take the stairs two at a time, and silently give thanks for the faint light I see coming out from under our bedroom door. I don't even bother knocking, I just twist the nob and let the door swing wide by itself. I see Emily sitting up in bed, an empty box of tissues on the bedside table, and a scattering of crumpled up tissues all over the bed. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, as is her nose, and the sight breaks my heart. This is all my fault and I feel immense guilt for it.

She looks up at me in surprise, clearly not expecting me to come back.

"Lucas?"

I don't even bother answering her, instead I just stride across the room and lean down to pull her into my arms. She instantly clings to me, and I feel her body shake as she starts to cry once more.

"I'm so sorry baby, I never meant for you to feel like a house wife." I mumble against her neck, and then feel her shake her head against mine.

"No, I shouldn't have overreacted." I hear her mumble back to me. This causes me to pull back from our hug and take her face into my hands. I pause for a moment, just looking into her beautiful blue eyes, wanting to make sure that I have her undivided attention.

"No, you didn't overreact. You have every right to feel the way that you feel, and I should have paid more attention. I am your husband, I should know what you're feeling more than anyone. And you shouldn't have had to spell it out for me." I say with the utmost conviction.

"Lucas, no. I don't want you taking all of the blame. I should have come and talked to you like an adult, instead of blowing up on you like I did. You are a good man, the best I know, and I know you didn't do any of this on purpose." She tells me right back.

"That may be, but I at least shouldn't have left." She starts shaking her head before I even finish my sentence.

"You were only doing what I told you to do. If anything, I shouldn't have made you leave. I'm sorry honey."

Instead of answering, I decide to just plant my lips against hers, saying everything I need to with just my lips. She moans against my mouth and instantly wraps her arms around me. Without breaking the kiss, I lift her up into my arms bridal style, and move around to the other side of the bed, setting her back down on the side that is usually designated as my side. I then start about cleaning all of the tissues off of the bed, pretty much just pushing them off to the side and onto the floor.

I waste no time in latching my lips back onto my wife's, and crawl onto the bed to join her. We proceed to make sweet love throughout the rest of the evening, making up in the best way we know how, finally passing out in each others arms after the exhaustion kicks in.

* * *

"Mom! Ma! You home?" I call out as I make my way into my childhood home.

"In the kitchen baby!" I hear my mother call out to me, which prompts me to make my way towards the kitchen. I find her sitting at the island, reading a magazine and sipping on a mug of something hot. I walk straight over to her and plant a loving kiss on her cheek while wrapping my right arm around her shoulders.

"Hey mom."

"Hi sweetie, what brings you by?" She asks with a smile as I move to stand at the end of the counter next to her.

"I haven't seen you guys in a little while, so I thought I'd stop by and catch up. Where's ma?" I ask, briefly looking towards the living room to see if she was there.

"She's out back working with her physical therapist, it's their last session and she wanted to see how your ma does with a few things before she signs off her paperwork." Mom tells me with a nod of her head towards the back door.

"Oh cool." I say, and decide to root around in the fridge for something to drink. I find a bottle of iced tea, and grab it before shutting the door.

"So how has she been?" I ask after a few sips of the cold liquid. Mom takes a moment before she answers me, and I start to think that she might not have heard me, when she finally speaks.

"Overall she's been good, mostly normal, but she has had several intense migraines that are starting to worry me. And of course in typical Jane Rizzoli fashion, she simply refuses to go back to the hospital for any scans." Mom says, and you can clearly hear the annoyance in her tone. All throughout their marriage, mom has been fighting ma about going to the hospital when she's hurt. Her reasoning being that her wife is a doctor, there is no need for her to seek the help of others. It makes a sort of sense, but mom is a pathologist, with a medical degree, and she doesn't have all the fancy equipment like hospitals have.

"Do you want me to talk to her?" I ask, leaning once again against the counter.

"I don't know how much good that will do, but knock yourself out son." Mom responds and I chuckle.

"Okay sounds good." I say, turning to head outside to see my mom.

"Want me to make you anything to eat sweetie?" I hear mom call out after me, which causes me to turn back around to face her.

"Sure, I could go for some grub." I respond with a smile, earning one in return from my mother.

"What would you like? I was planning on making a nice spring salad and a bowl of fruit for your ma when she was done." She says to me.

"Sounds good, I'll just have whatever ma's having."

"Okay baby." Mom responds, and then I turn back around to head outside.

It's a beautiful May day out, the sun shining brightly in the sky. I quickly spot ma over by the pool with a small weight ball in her hands, which she tosses to a woman with long brunette hair that's standing about 6 feet away from her. I smile as I catch the look of concentration on my ma's face as she does so, clearly intent upon passing this test so she can officially "graduate" from physical therapy. My mother is a very stubborn woman, especially now in her old age, so I can imagine the determination she has towards becoming fully independent again.

I stay back and watch for a moment, enjoying the progress my ma is making with her therapy, before slowly making my way over to her. She doesn't see me at first, but when she does her face lights up and she calls out to me.

"Lucas! Hey buddy, what brings you by? Did you see your mom?" She asks me while looking back over my shoulder towards the house.

"Yeah I did, she's in the kitchen making lunch." I say before wrapping my arms around her and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"How are things going out here?" I ask when we break our embrace.

"Good! At least I think." Ma answers, turning her attention to her trainer, who nods her head in return.

"Your mother is doing exceptional. I don't know if she has much need for me anymore." She says with a smile directed towards ma.

"Madison Avery." She then says, directing it towards me. She holds her hand out for me to shake, which I do, mildly surprised by her firm grip.

"That's a good solid handshake there Madison. You must have been taught well." I say to her with a smile.

"Grew up with four brothers, I had to be strong." She says playfully back.

"And strong she is. She's been giving me a run for my money, and that's saying something." Ma says to us, and I just chuckle at her.

"Yeah, maybe when you were still young, but you're over the hills now ma." I say to her, earning myself a rather hard smack against my upper arm. I grasp it in pain while looking at her exasperatedly.

"Ow!" I cry out exaggeratedly.

"Oh please, if I'm over the hills, that shouldn't have hurt." Ma says to me, which causes Madison to chuckle.

"What's wrong baby?" I hear asked from behind me, and I turn around to see my mother looking at me with concern.

"Ma smacked me on the arm really hard." I whine, intentionally hamming it up for my mother. She immediately starts tending to my arm, occasionally aiming a glare towards ma.

"You know better than to hurt our children Jane." She scolds her, which causes me to give ma a triumphant smirk. She just rolls her eyes and scoffs at me. She then mouths the words "mama's boy" towards me, and then we both chuckle.

"Thanks mom, but I think I'm okay." I tell my mother, as she seems to be taking this more seriously than I thought she would.

"Okay baby." She says, and then leans up to give me a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, it would appear that I am infringing upon family time, so I should get going. Jane, you did great today, I'd say just one more session and you should be good to go." Madison says with a smile before she starts getting her things assembled.

"You don't need to leave just yet Madison. I've just finished preparing lunch, and there's more than enough for you to have some." Mom offers up to her, always the caring and proper host.

"Oh no, thank you for the offer, but I must get going. I have other clients to visit today." She politely declines.

"Understandable. Thank you for helping Jane out, I really do appreciate it."

"Of course! Jane has been a pleasure to work with." Madison says with a smile.

"Are you sure you're talking about my mother?" I ask skeptically.

"She hasn't exactly been known as "easy to work with", she was a cop after all." I say teasingly to her, and just barely get out of the way in time before ma's hand lands against my arm again.

"Ha ha mister. So very funny." Ma mocks at me, and I just laugh.

"Alright you two, quit teasing. Now come inside because lunch is ready." Mom scolds us both, effectively shutting each of us up.

"Yes honey." Ma says, while I mutter out, "Yes mother."

Ma takes moms hand and together with Madison and myself, we all walk into the house. Ma and Madison say a quick goodbye, a promise to see each other again at ma's last session, and then it's just the three of us in the house. Mom has prepared a nice light lunch for us, so we all sit down at the table and begin to eat our food.

"So you never said what brought you over son?" Ma asks several minutes after we start eating. I put down my fork and finish chewing the food in my mouth before answering her.

"No particular reason, I just missed you two. Em has the kids with her over at her parents house, and I just didn't feel like going. I thought about you and decided to make the trip." I say with a smile, earning one from each of my mothers.

"We'll we're always glad when you stop by honey." Mom says to me sweetly.

"Even though you didn't bring my adorable grandchildren." Ma says with a wink. We both chuckle and then continue to eat in silence for several long minutes.

"So, I was planning on tackling the basement after lunch, going through some of the old boxes down there. Would you want to help go through them, maybe find some old stuff you want to give to the kids?" Mom asks as she finishes her salad.

"Uh yeah, that sounds good. It'll probably bring back some old memories, so that's cool." I say with a smile before finishing the last little bit of my food.

* * *

"Why did I let you talk me into this again?" Ma asks, sounding rather frustrated as she continues to dig through boxes, separating things into piles. One to keep, one that's trash, and one for my siblings to go through and decide on.

"Because you love me and don't want me to have to do this on my own." Mom responds back, somehow not yet annoyed with mom's complaining.

"That's what you have him for." Ma says, pointing in my direction.

"Hey, don't bring me into this." I defend myself.

"You're the oldest mister, you are required to be the one to help with this crap."

"Says who?!" I exclaim out, mildly amused by her attempts at getting out of this.

"The laws of nature." She responds back, but is unable to hide the smile on her face. She clearly knows her facts are bullshit, and she knows I know it too.

"Nice try lady. You are so not getting out of this." I say back, and she sighs out in defeat, before something inside the box catches her eye.

"Oh hey, look." She says, reaching inside the box, quickly pulling out a hat and a white piece of clothing.

"Hey! My old uniform hat!" I exclaim as she hands me the hat. More specifically its her old beat cop uniform hat that she gave to me when I was a kid. I used to run around the house in this thing while pretending to be a cop just like my mom and uncle. I look back up at my ma with a smile, and see her unfold the white piece of clothing. As she unfolds it, I realize that it's a mini lab coat, much like the ones my mother used to ear when she as the Chief ME. I remember when she got that for Bella to wear around, because she wanted to be a Doctor like mommy. She was so damn cute walking around the house in that thing. She even had a fake stethoscope that she wore around her neck to add to the whole outfit.

 *****Flashback*** - About 20 years ago...**

 _"Open your mouth for me please mommy." Bella says as she holds a popsicle stick up to moms face. She's playing doctor again, and mom is her patient this time, as she sits at the kitchen table facing my sister._

 _"Of course Doctor." Mom says before doing as she's instructed. She opens her mouth wide and lets Bella put the stick on her tongue.  
_

 _"Say ah mommy!" Bella instructs next, and mom does as she's told again._

 _"Your ovala looks good mommy." Bella says as she takes the stick out of moms mouth and sets it on the table._

 _"It's uvula honey, not ovala." Mom corrects her, and Bella ducks her head slightly, looking embarrassed for getting it wrong._

 _"Sorry mommy."_

 _"Don't apologize sweetheart, I was just helping you understand correctly."_

 _"Okay. Can I check your tempachure?" Bella asks with a smile._

 _"Of course doctor. Do you have the thermometer?" Mom asks, and Bella immediately holds it up with a proud smile._

 _"Okay." Mom says, then opens her mouth and lifts her tongue up, just like she taught us to do. Bella immediately sticks the thermometer in and then mom closes her mouth. They both sit and wait until the little device starts beeping, and then Bella pulls it out of mom's mouth excitedly.  
_

 _"98.6, mommy, you're tempachure's perfect!" My sister exclaims excitedly as she shows mom the thermometer._

 _"Well would you look at that. I must have a clean bill of health. What do you say doctor?" Mom responds._

 _"Make sure you drink plenty of water, and eat your vegetables." Bella says back, trying to sound like a stern doctor._

 _"Of course doctor, I always do."_

 _"Okay then, see you in a few months mommy." Bella says as she starts to collect the few items she used to play doctor with. She puts all of the items in the large pockets of her white doctors coat, the one mom bought her for her birthday last year, and then she starts to make her way over to ma on the couch, wanting to do the same thing she just did with mom._

 *****End Flashback*****

"She must have taken my temperature like a hundred times that first week you got this for her." I tell my mom as she sits down next to me, admiring the article of clothing belonging to her only daughter.

"You better give that back to your sister young man. She's going to be home from school soon and if she sees you with that, she'll flip her lid. And I definitely don't have time for that tonight, I have too much paperwork to deal with." Ma says behind us, effectively stopping our conversation as we look back in confusion.

"What was that honey?" Mom asks her, her tone that of confusion and skepticism. Ma doesn't answer for a moment, only staring up and to the left, looking rather confused herself.

"Uh, what?" Ma finally says after a few silent moments, her focus coming back too us from seemingly nowhere.

"Jane, are you okay?" Mom asks, getting up from her position near me and heading over to her wife. Ma continues to look confused, and then suddenly winces in pain, her hand shooting up to her head as mom sits down next to her.

"Ow, shit! That hurts Maur." Ma exclaims as she continues to hold her head. Mom looks back at me, a pleading look in her eyes.

"This is literally the worst migraine I have ever had." Ma growls out as she continues to rub her head.

"Are you alright?" I ask, and then internally chastise myself for how dumb I just sounded. Although, instead of responding to my question, Ma just closes her eyes tight and makes a face of intense pain and anguish.

"Luke, call 911." Mom says to me suddenly, but as I reach for my phone, ma calls out to me.

"Don't! I'm fine."

"See." Ma says, removing her hands and standing up to her full height. I am about to breath a sigh of relief, when her eyes start to droop and she mumbles out to mom.

"Maur..." Ma suddenly collapses into my mothers arms, who catches her with a shocked look on her face. I am instantly at her side, holding ma up so she won't crush mom.

"I've got her, call 911." I say to my mother, who immediately calls for an ambulance.

I stare down at my ma's blank face, worry and panic instantly filling me to the brim. I thought we were out of the woods with her, but I guess I was wrong.

* * *

"Oooh, shit. Where am I?" I hear asked groggily from the bed. Both Ma and I instantly look up to see ma awake in her hospital bed.

"How are you feeling Jane? Any more pain in your head?" Mom asks, instantly going into doctor mode.

"What's going on?" Ma asks instead of answering mom's question.

"You're in the hospital Jane. You collapsed in the kitchen earlier after complaining of a massive headache." Mom tells her, which earns her a look of confusion in return.

"Really?" Ma asks, looking confused and a bit shocked by what she just heard.

"I don't remember that."

"Whats the last thing you remember ma?" I ask her, curious to know the answer. She scrunches up her face and looks off into the distance for a moment, clearly trying to think back.

"We were in the basement, trying to clear out some of the old boxes." She finally answers after a few moments of silence.

"Lucas had Bella's old lab coat, and you two were reminiscing about it." She continues on, and both mom and I give each other a look of slight relief, hopeful that because she didn't forget much of what happened, that the damage isn't too severe.

"Why in the hell do you keep ending up in here?" I hear practically yelled from the doorway, and I look up to see my sister charging through the door with a very angry look on her face. I look back to my ma and find that she has a sheepish look on her face, even though none of this is really even her fault. She had a massive headache, then passed out. She didn't have any control over that.

"It wasn't ma's fault Bell." I say, not wanting my sister to get mad at my mother. Bella immediately looks to me, a bit of an angry flare to her features.

"Well, what happened?" She asks after a moment, looking from me to my mothers and back as she waits for someone to respond.

"Apparently I had an episode." Ma says after a bit of silence. Bella looks at her in confusion.

"What kind of episode?" She asks, the anger in her tone dissipating, only to be replaced with concern.

"She had an extremely painful headache come out of nowhere and it caused her to pass out. She doesn't even remember it happened." I answer for my mother.

"What?! Why didn't either of you call me?!" Bella yells out in clear frustration, and a bit of desperation.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart, but we were a little preoccupied." Mom tells her, and I can't stop myself before a chuckle escapes my lips. All three women instantly turn their attention to me, ma looking amused while Bella and mom look mad.

"Why the hell do you think that's funny?" Bella asks, or more like growls, at me while folding her arms over her chest. The smile on my face instantly vanishes and I gulp back in slight fear. Even though she is my younger sister, Bella is fierce like my ma, and can scare the crap out of me at times. Especially now that she's pregnant, she's like super awnry and not to be messed with.

"Sorry, it just slipped out." I mutter, and am about to be given her wrath when ma cuts in.

"Oh relax Bells, he's just trying to lighten the mood. Cut him some slack."

"But this isn't something to make light mama!" Bella cries out to our mother.

"Of course it is silly. It was just a really bad headache, so we'll have to up my dose of Excedrin." Ma says with a chuckle, earning herself about the same type of look I got from Bella.

"This is not some laughing matter Jane. you had a serious episode, which ended you in the hospital. And now you're laughing?" Mom says, sounding upset and a little hysterical at the same time.

"Honey, it's fine." Ma says, trying to calm mom down.

"No Jane, it's not fine!" Mom practically yells, and then tears immediately begin to form in her eyes. She turns away from ma and us, and I can see her shoulders start to shake with the crying she's doing. I instantly make my way over to her, not concerned whatsoever with her not wanting us to see her cry. I turn her around and guide her into resting her head against my shoulders. She almost instantly wraps her arms around me and clings for dear life. I hold her while she cries, occasionally looking from my ma to my sister and back. Ma has a guilty look on her face, and Bella just looks really concerned. It takes mom several minutes to stop crying, and when she does she slowly removes herself from my grasp and wipes the tears from her face.

"Maur, I'm so sorry baby, I didn't mean for that to hurt your feelings." Ma says as soon as mom breaks our embrace.

"I know Jane." Mom says, her voice much deeper and raspy from crying.

"The worst part is that the doctors don't know why this happened. They want to keep your mother for a few days so they can run some tests, but of course she refuses. It's not like her health matters to more than just her." Mom says, and suddenly she starts gathering her things that are in the room. I look at my mother in confusion, and happen a glance at my ma, who looks a bit panicked.

"What are you doing mom?" Bella asks before either of us can.

"I'm headed home. Lucas, if you wouldn't mind, could you take your mother home when she's ready?" Mom asks me, only making eye contact briefly before she goes back to gathering her things.

"Maur, you aren't seriously leaving are you?" Ma asks, sounding skeptical but also worried.

"Of course I am Jane. You clearly don't care how this is affecting me, so I'd much rather go home and prepare for your arrival instead." Mom says as she turns and gives her full attention to ma, who cowers slightly back into her bed at the look on mom's face. Mom moves to stand at ma's bedside, leaning down to plant a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you Jane, I'll see you in a little while." Mom says softly to her, before standing back up and turning to face me.

"Let me know when you're on your way?" She asks me, and I nod my head yes back. I pull her in for a hug and whisper in her ear. "Don't worry, I'll talk to her."

Mom for her part says nothing in response, instead she just slowly starts walking towards the door, and is soon gone, leaving the room in an awkward silence.

"I screwed up kids." Ma says after a moment or two of silence. She doesn't make eye contact though, instead she just keeps looking at the doorway where mom left minutes ago.

"Believe me, I know how hard everything was for her. And I know she felt intense guilt for it as well. I don't mean to be a jerk, I was just trying to make light of the situation to try and ease everyone's worries." She explains. I nod my head in agreement, but I don't actually say anything for a few moments.

"I know ma, and I'm sure mom does too. She's just hurt by all this and needs to process it in her own way." I say eventually, earning a look of sadness from my mother.

"Look, it's not your fault okay? This whole thing just kinda sucks all around." I say, not really knowing what else to say to make her feel better.

"If we hadn't fought Luke, then this never would have happened. If I had been a better wife and listened rather than let my ego get in the way, then this never would have happened. I deserve everything that has happened to me, I just wish it didn't have to hurt you kids and your mom in the process." Ma says, sounding dejected and self loathing.

"Stop it. Just stop it okay? That's a load of crap and you know it." I say, letting a bit of anger shine through into my tone.

"What the hell happened to the badass detective that is my mother? What happened to the woman who took names first and asked questions later? What happened to the woman who raised me to be a good, kind hearted and loving man? Who taught me that family comes first and foremost, and that no matter what, you do whatever the hell you have to to come home to them at night? Huh?!" I shout, causing ma to shy back away from me in shock. She clearly was not expecting me to have an outburst like that, and frankly, neither was I. But I'm glad that I did because she needed to hear it.

"I'm sorry Luke, I really am. And you're right, I did teach you all of those things, and I need to live by my own advice." Ma responds after a few moments of silence, her head hanging low in shame.

"I didn't say that you aren't doing that ma. I just mean that you have to take this seriously and try to understand how mom feels, and how this is affecting her." I say in response.

"I know, and I will I promise. I just really don't want to be here. I've had more than enough of hospitals in my lifetime, and especially in the last several weeks. I just want to be home with my wife and enjoy my time." Ma says sadly.

"I know you do, and none of us begrudge you that. We just want you to be healthy, so that you'll be around to take care of mom for years to come."

"Alright Mrs. Rizzoli, I have your form right here. Just fill this out, and acknowledge that you are leaving against medical advice, and that the hospital is not liable for anything that may arise because of your leaving." The doctor says, coming into the room with a clipboard and paper. He hands the form to ma, who quickly fills it out and signs it before handing it back to him.

"Alright, I'll have a nurse come by shortly with your things and a wheelchair." He says as he grabs the clipboard.

"I'll do it." Bella says, Startling me as she hadn't spoken since mom left. I look over and seeker just sitting in the corner of the room with a sad look on her face.

"Oh, Dr. Rizzoli, I didn't realize you were here. My apologies." He says before nodding and then leaving the room. Both ma and I turn our attention to Bella once the doctor leaves. We wait for her to say something, but nothing comes out for several minutes. I'm about to start up a conversation when she beats me to the punch.

"I understand that you hate being here, and that you just want to be home with mom. But you have to understand that instances like this are a sensitive subject, not only for mom but for us as well. You are our rock ma, you always have been and you always will be. We need you here with us, healthy and strong. We need you for us and we need you for mom. You didn't see her when you were out, but we did, and it damn near tore her apart. She might even need you more than we do, and that's saying something. Just please keep that in mind from now on. Because as much as you are our rock, you are her _everything_." She says, shocking both ma and I into silence.

"I'll go get your things." Bella says quietly, and then turns to head out the door. I watch her go, only turning my attention back to ma once she's gone. When I look back to my mother, I find her head hanging low and tears streaming down her face. This pulls at my heart and I quickly make my way over to her, wanting to wrap her up and make her pain go away.

"Why do I always do this bud? What is wrong with me?" Ma asks me, her voice muffled by my chest. I pull back from our hug so that I can look her in the eye.

"Nothing is wrong me you, you hear me? This was not your fault. This was a result of an accident that some drunk fool caused, and you in no way had control over it. Everyone's emotions are just running high right now, that's all. Mom still loves you endlessly, and so does Bella. Plus, you know she takes after you in regards to how you handle emotions. She's terrible at it." I say with a wink, which earns me a chuckle from her.

"That is true, but it doesn't make me happy to hear. I don't want to be the cause of my childen having issues. And I know that's not the case, but it still hurts to know I've passed it off."Ma says sadly.

"Why does that have to be a bad thing?" I ask, curious as to why she thinks this. The fact that we each took after our parents in one fashion or another has always been something I find awesome. And I'm already seeing traits in my own daughter that she gets from me, which makes me rather happy.

"It means we're yours mama. That there is no doubt that we came from you." I say, earning a shy smile from my mother.

"Thanks bud." She says softly after a moment of silence. I smile and lean in to give her a hug, which she reciprocates enthusiastically.

"Do you think mom and Bella will forgive me?" She asks after we break our hug.

"You didn't do anything wrong ma, they're just upset about the situation. Mom just wants you better because she's worried about losing you. And Bella's just Bella." I say, earning another chuckle from her.

"I love how you keep saying that, and that it actually makes sense." Ma says with another chuckle, right as the subject of our conversation walks back into the room.

"What makes sense?" Bella asks as she heads over with a wheelchair and a plastic bag in her hand.

"Oh nothing, just something funny your brother said." Ma responds back, which causes Bella to look at her and me skeptically for a moment until she finally accepts the answer.

"Okay, well here's your clothes ma, and the wheelchair for when you're ready." She says as she sets the bag down on ma's bed.

"Alright, well let me step out so you can get dressed, and then we'll get you home." I say to my mother with a smile, receiving one in return. Bella stays in the room to help ma out while I head out to the hall and down a bit, pulling out my phone to make a call.

 **"Hey hon."** Emily's beautiful voice rings through the speakers in my phone. A smile lights up my face at the sound as I start to respond.

 **"Hey babe."**

 **"How's your ma?"** She asks me sweetly, but with an air of concern. I hadn't been able to tell her much when I was on my way to the hospital, just that that was were I was headed with my mothers.

 **"She's doing okay. Going home AMA."** Emily chuckles at this, as she knows that's typical of my mother.

 **"Of course she is. How does your mom feel about that?"**

 **"She's upset as expected. She actually left just a bit ago, couldn't take ma being careless again. Honestly I don't blame her, but I also don't blame ma either. She doesn't want to worry mom, so she tries to act like nothings wrong. But of course she can't fool mom because she's a doctor. Bella's upset too, but she's currently helping ma get dressed so we can take her home."**

 **"I'm sorry sweetheart. Is she going to be okay though?"**

 **"From the sounds of it yes. She had a really bad migraine that made her pass out. I'm not a doctor so I don't know what to make of that, but mom would make more of a fuss about her staying if she thought it was a huge issue. So I hope it'll be okay."** I into the phone as I slowly walk around the hallway **.**

 **"Well I hope so too babe. Your ma definitely deserves a break from all the crap, and so does your mom for that matter."** Em says sympathetically.

 **"I miss you babe, are you coming home soon?"** Em asks after a small bout of silence. As she does so I notice Bella a and ma making their way out into the hall.

 **"Ma and Bells just came out into the hall, so hopefully yes. I'll follow and make sure she gets settled, then I'll be on my way."** I answer, smiling as my mother and sister approach.

 **"Okay honey, be safe. Text me when you're on your way?"**

 **"Of course. Love you."**

 **"Love you too."** Em says sweetly before hanging up.

"All set?" I ask the ladies as they approach me. Ma has a tired expression on her face, and Bella looks a cross between concerned and annoyed.

"You two okay?" I ask, worried that something happened while I was out in the hall.

"Yeah, we're fine son. Just didn't realize after going through something like this, that I'd get the dizzy spells and almost fall over trying to put my clothes on." Ma responds, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"She insisted that she could put her clothes on herself, and after arguing with her for several minutes I decided to let her have her way. I was right however, as when she went to put her shirt on, the angle of her arms and the strain on her body caused her to become dizzy. I caught her before she feel, but now she's upset and is worried that I'm going to tell mom." Bella clarifies for me.

"You know your mother will be even more upset if you tell her what happened. I don't see the need, as I've learned my lesson and won't repeat it again in the future." Ma says to Bella, event though she isn't looking at her.

"That's your call ma, I'm not going to meddle. Plus, she knows what kind of side effects occur with this sort of injury. I doubt you'll be dressing yourself for the next several days." Bella says with a sly smirk on her face. Ma groans at her words, as she as well as I know that Bella is right.

"Alright ladies, let's not bicker anymore. We need to get you home to mom so she can begin to feel better."

"And you too." I add upon receiving a glare from my mother.

I turn and start heading down the hall towards the exit, Bella following right behind me as she pushes ma's wheelchair. We get out to my car and I proceed to help ma into the front seat, and then get her personal effects from Bella, tossing them in the back seat.

"Okay ma, please take it easy. And call me when you get home so I know you made it safe." Bella says to ma as she stands in the open door, moving in to give ma a hug.

"You're not coming with us?" Ma asks, rather confused.

"I have to finish my shift ma. I still have another 24 hours before I can go home." Bella clarifies.

"Well now that doesn't seem safe. You're pregnant sweetheart, you shouldn't be working."

"I am very capable of working mother. And I'm only in the beginning stages of my pregnancy. Once I get closer to my due date I will take the necessary time off. But until then I have to work and make money." Bella says, giving ma a kiss on the forehead.

"Oh okay." Ma says in response, sounding sad that Bella isn't coming with us.

"Get her there safe, and make sure that mom is okay to handle her." Bella says quietly to me before giving me a hug as well."

"I will, don't worry." I say into her ear before pulling away.

"Bye ma, I love you."

"Love you too sweetheart. Come visit soon okay?" Ma calls out to her as she begins to walk away.

"I will, I promise." Bell says over her shoulder as she walks away. I watch on with a smile on my face for a few seconds, before turning back to shut my mothers door. I quickly walk around to the drivers side and get in, starting the car up so I can begin the journey to my parents house.

* * *

"Alright mama, there you go." I say as I get her settled on the couch with a blanket and the tv remote. Mom is currently upstairs changing into something more comfortable, her words not mine, so I'm just down here keeping ma company while she does that. She seemed well when we got here. She came out and helped me get ma out of the car, and lovingly helped her into the house. I'm hopeful that all is well, but of course they still have some talking to do. I definitely don't want to be present for that however. I need to get home to my wife and kids.

"Thanks for all of your help bud." Ma says as I sit down on the couch next to her.

"I know this hasn't been easy for you, but you've stepped up and helped out tremendously. Your mom and I really appreciate it." She says with a proud smile. I blush slightly at her words, unsure of the praise.

"It was nothing ma, that's what family is for." I finally respond with.

"I know that, but still. I really appreciate you stepping up and being there for everyone. I know it couldn't have been easy." Ma says back to me.

"Well, you're welcome." I say after a brief pause. I don't know why but I feel slightly awkward taking her praise, but I know she wants me to so I will. I receive a smile in return from her, which makes me feel better.

"Do you remember when mom used to go away on her conferences and us kids and you would sleep out in the living room under a giant tent we would make out of all the spare sheets." I ask after a few moments of silence. I have no idea why my mind wandered there, but I'm glad it did, as the smile on ma's face is so wonderfully happy.

"Ha ha I do remember that. It's one of my happiest memories with you kids, aside from the fact that your mother wasn't there. But I did enjoy the bonding time if afforded us."

"Remember how we always had to get all of the sheets washed and put away before mom got back?" I ask with a chuckle.

"And no matter how well we folded them, she could always tell?" I add with a few more chuckles.

"I think the first time was just a guess, but every time she left after that, she just knew that's what we were going to do, so it was a given when she got back and they weren't exactly how she had left them." Ma adds with a joyful laugh of her own.

"Or how Simon used to tell her that he used all of the sheets on his bed to try and cover up the real reason?" I ask with a laugh, remembering my baby brother trying to cover for something that didn't even need covering for.

"She never bought it for a second, but he always tried to use that excuse." Ma laughs with me, us remembering the good old times making it hard to stop laughing.

"What's so funny?" I hear asked from behind us, and see my mother walking towards us from the stairs when I turn around to look.

"Oh we were just remembering the nights we slept out here in a sheet tent when you would leave for conferences when the kids were little." Ma says to her with a smile, which mom returns in kind.

"And how Simon used to tell you he used all of the sheets on his bed as a cover for us using them to make a tent." I add.

"Which I never bought for a second." Mom responds as she sits down on ma's other side.

"Yeah but you played along so that was great. I mean, obviously the genius of the family would catch on that we were up to something, but you were and are a fantastic mom so you played along." I say with a wink and a smile. Mom gets a blush on her face, as she always does when anyone compliments her. Even though she's been receiving them for many years now, she still gets this way. She's just very humble I guess.

"Well thank you sweetheart, I appreciate that." She responds politely.

"Well, if you two are good, I better get going. Em really wants me back home, and I miss my kids." I say after a few moments of silence. I get up from the couch and give both of my mothers a hug and a kiss as they in turn say their goodbyes.

"Make sure you bring the family by soon, I miss my grandkids as well." Ma says, or more like commands me.

"Oh yes, please do that. And Emily, because we miss her as well." Mom adds.

"Just not as much." Ma immediately says with a wink.

"I'll be sure to tell her that ma." I say as I start to head towards the front door.

"Please do!" Ma calls after me, and I can hear mom smack her on the arm as a warning, as ma makes a grunt sound and then cries out "oh!".

I chuckle as I continue on towards the door, calling out "I love you!" as I go. Once outside I quickly head towards my car, eager eyes to get home to my family. I'm glad that my mother is okay, at least for now, and that mom is taking care of her, but I am rather glad to be going home.

I was a bit worried when mom left the hospital alone, but of course she wouldn't abandon ma. She loves her way too damn much, and her heart belongs only to her. I know our family can get through this, that we can get ma better and have our parents for many more years to come. My mothers are fighters, and tough as hell. I have no doubt that everything will work out great.

* * *

 **I am so sorry that this took so long to get out, but I hope it at least somewhat made up for it. Don't be shy about commenting, whether to tell me to get my ass in gear and update quicker, or to tell me how much you loved/hated it. I just love getting reviews and hearing your thoughts, whether good or bad or constructive. And I promise that I will try harder to get the next chapter out much quicker. ;)**


	11. Apology Update

First off, please don't be mad at me, as THIS IS NOT AN UPDATE :(

I've received several emails from concerned readers that they need closure to this story, thinking that I've given up on it. I am here to tell you all that I have NOT given up, and do not plan on doing so either. I hate making excuses, but like I said last time, life has gotten in the way. My girlfriend and I are busy working non-stop, and are trying to save up for a house. This leaves me little time to sit down and write. But the next chapter is in the works, I promise, and I will try extra hard now to get it up soon. I have much more in store for this cute little family, and I absolutely will not leave you all hanging with this story. I am so happy to have people who love reading it, and who love the characters that I have introduced you too. There will be more Jane, Maura, Lucas, Bella and Simon in your near futures, I promise ;)

Until next time (which will be soon)

I love you all, and thank you for the concern.


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